New year, new gear: Does the next version of an advanced footwear model lead to better performance?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51224/SRXIV.482Keywords:
Advanced Footwear Technology, running economy, Running performance, Locomotion, Biomechanics, road racingAbstract
In recent years, advanced footwear technology (AFT) has contributed to numerous world records in long-distance running, with new models being developed annually. This study investigated the effects of incremental design changes between two consecutive iterations of AFT on running economy (RE) and subjective perceptions in trained male runners. Participants completed submaximal running trials in the Adidas Adios Pro 3 and Pro 4 models. Results showed a significant 1.31% improvement in RE with the newer Pro 4 model
(p < .001), with a decrease in oxygen uptake at submaximal speed. The improvement in RE, likely due to reduced shoe mass, modified rocker geometry, and altered cushioning stiffness, could potentially influence elite competition outcomes. However, while in this study, year to year performance improvements due to model updates were found, these findings not neccesarily translate to year to year modifications in other models and manufacturers. However, the findings contribute to our understanding of how subtle design modifications in successive shoe models can impact running performance.
Metrics
References
Knechtle, B., Gangi, S. D., Rüst, C. A., Rosemann, T. & Nikolaidis, P. T. Men’s Participation and Performance in the Boston Marathon from 1897 to 2017. International Journal of Sports Medicine 39, 1018–1027 (2018).
Vitti, A., Nikolaidis, P. T., Villiger, E., Onywera, V. & Knechtle, B. The “New York City Marathon”: participation and performance trends of 1.2M runners during half-century. Research in Sports Medicine 28, 121–137 (2020).
Jones, A. M. et al. Physiological demands of running at 2-hour marathon race pace. Journal of Applied Physiology 130, 369–379 (2021).
Joyner, M. J., Hunter, S. K., Lucia, A. & Jones, A. M. Physiology and fast marathons. Journal of Applied Physiology 128, 1065–1068 (2020).
Hoogkamer, W., Kipp, S., Spiering, B. A. & Kram, R. Altered Running Economy Directly Translates to Altered Distance-Running Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 48, 2175–2180 (2016).
Barnes, K. R. & Kilding, A. E. Running economy: measurement, norms, and determining factors. Sports Medicine - Open 1, 8 (2015).
Burke, L. M., Jeukendrup, A. E., Jones, A. M. & Mooses, M. Contemporary Nutrition Strategies to Optimize Performance in Distance Runners and Race Walkers. (2019) doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2019-0004.
Hoogkamer, W., Kram, R. & Arellano, C. J. How Biomechanical Improvements in Running Economy Could Break the 2-hour Marathon Barrier. Sports Med 47, 1739–1750 (2017).
Frederick, E. C. Physiological and ergonomics factors in running shoe design. Applied Ergonomics 15, 281–287 (1984).
Fuller, J. T., Bellenger, C. R., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M. D. & Buckley, J. D. The Effect of Footwear on Running Performance and Running Economy in Distance Runners. Sports Med 45, 411–422 (2015).
Rodrigo-Carranza, V., González-Mohíno, F., Santos-Concejero, J. & González-Ravé, J. M. Influence of Shoe Mass on Performance and Running Economy in Trained Runners. Front. Physiol. 11, (2020).
Esposito, M., Wannop, J. W. & Stefanyshyn, D. J. Effects of midsole cushioning stiffness on Achilles tendon stretch during running. Sci Rep 12, 4193 (2022).
Frederick, E. C., Howley, E. T. & Powers, S. K. Lower Oxygen Demands of Running in Soft-Soled Shoes. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport 57, 174–177 (1986).
Sinclair, J., Mcgrath, R., Brook, O., Taylor, P. J. & Dillon, S. Influence of footwear designed to boost energy return on running economy in comparison to a conventional running shoe. Journal of Sports Sciences 34, 1094–1098 (2016).
Tung, K. D., Franz, J. R. & Kram, R. A Test of the Metabolic Cost of Cushioning Hypothesis during Unshod and Shod Running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 46, 324–329 (2014).
Roy, J.-P. R. & Stefanyshyn, D. J. Shoe Midsole Longitudinal Bending Stiffness and Running Economy, Joint Energy, and EMG. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38, 562 (2006).
Cigoja, S., Fletcher, J. R., Esposito, M., Stefanyshyn, D. J. & Nigg, B. M. Increasing the midsole bending stiffness of shoes alters gastrocnemius medialis muscle function during running. Sci Rep 11, 749 (2021).
Nigg, B. M., Cigoja, S. & Nigg, S. R. Teeter-totter effect: a new mechanism to understand shoe-related improvements in long-distance running. Br J Sports Med 55, 462–463 (2021).
Subramanium, A., Vienneau, J., Nigg, S. R. & Nigg, B. M. A methodological proof-of-concept of the teeter-totter effect. Journal of Sports Sciences 42, 1432–1438 (2024).
Frederick, E. C. Let’s just call it advanced footwear technology (AFT). Footwear Science 14, 131–131 (2022).
Barnes, K. R. & Kilding, A. E. A Randomized Crossover Study Investigating the Running Economy of Highly-Trained Male and Female Distance Runners in Marathon Racing Shoes versus Track Spikes. Sports Med 49, 331–342 (2019).
Hoogkamer, W. et al. A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes. Sports Med 48, 1009–1019 (2018).
Knopp, M. et al. Variability in Running Economy of Kenyan World-Class and European Amateur Male Runners with Advanced Footwear Running Technology: Experimental and Meta-analysis Results. Sports Med 53, 1255–1271 (2023).
Barrons, Z. B., Wannop, J. W. & Stefanyshyn, D. J. The Influence of Footwear Midsole Thickness on Running Economy and Frontal Plane Ankle Stability. Footwear Science 15, 155–160 (2023).
Healey, L. A. & Hoogkamer, W. Longitudinal bending stiffness does not affect running economy in Nike Vaporfly Shoes. Journal of Sport and Health Science 11, 285–292 (2022).
Solberg, G., Robstad, B., Skjønsberg, O. H. & Borchsenius, F. Respiratory Gas Exchange Indices for Estimating the Anaerobic Threshold. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine 4, 29 (2005).
Willwacher, S. et al. Does Advanced Footwear Technology Improve Track and Road Racing Performance? An Explorative Analysis Based on the 100 Best Yearly Performances in the World Between 2010 and 2022. Sports Med - Open 10, 14 (2024).
Kipp, S., Kram, R. & Hoogkamer, W. Extrapolating Metabolic Savings in Running: Implications for Performance Predictions. Front. Physiol. 10, 79 (2019).
Hébert-Losier, K. & Pamment, M. Advancements in running shoe technology and their effects on running economy and performance – a current concepts overview. Sports Biomechanics 22, 335–350 (2023).
Healey, L., Bertschy, M., Kipp, S. & Hoogkamer, W. Can We Quantify the Benefits of “Super Spikes” in Track Running? Sports Med 52, 1211–1218 (2022).
Sterzing, T., Thomsen, K., Ding, R. & Cheung, J. T.-M. Running shoe crash-pad design alters shoe touchdown angles and ankle stability parameters during heel–toe running. Footwear Science 7, 81–93 (2015).
Barrons, Z. B., Rodrigo-Carranza, V., Bertschy, M. & Hoogkamer, W. The Fallacy of Single Trials: The Need for Multiple Trials in Assessing Running Economy Responses in Advanced Footwear Technology. Sports Med (2024) doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01991-1.
Downloads
Posted
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Yannick Denis, Hannah Knoke, Luca Braun, Steffen Willwacher (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
