Marathon runners rely on it to set records again and again! "Carbon Plate Running Shoes" Are Like a Divine Help on Your Feet? Experts warn: 4 major hidden worries lurk behind the scenes
Even the world president has ordered controls! “Carbon Plate Running Shoes” perform like a miracle once you put them on your feet?
With the rise of running sports, the general public’s performance and requirements for running shoes have gradually increased. In recent years, running shoes manufactured by major shoe manufacturers have mainly used “carbon fiber plate” as the sole material, claiming that it can increase the rebound force of the ground and give runners the feeling of “flying close to the ground”; and since the famous marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge first tried it Since carbon plate running shoes were used as competition shoes and broke the conference record, carbon plate running shoes are gradually becoming the favorite of professional runners and sports enthusiasts.
Carbon plate running shoes contain a combination of “Pebax” foam material and carbon fiber plate. Pebax is a highly elastic and extremely lightweight foam material that can return more energy when landing, helping runners to push forward more effortlessly. “Footwear Science” research has pointed out that carbon plate running shoes reduce running energy costs by about 4% on average, which may shorten the finishing time by a few minutes; and compared with non-carbon plate running shoes, the performance of carbon plate running shoes has indeed improved , and therefore carbon plate running shoes are gradually regarded as a weapon for breaking records.
Such “black technology” has made relevant units pay attention to the impact and fairness of this shoe on competition. The World Athletics Federation (World Athletics) has even set regulations for this, indicating that for athletes who wear carbon plate running shoes to compete, the thickness of the midsole of the shoes cannot exceed 40mm, and the shoe body can only be equipped with one carbon fiber plate (or other materials with the same function) , and the shoes must be sold publicly 4 months before the start of the game.
Long-term wear is the most serious risk of scaphoid fracture! “Four major influences” lurk behind the record-breaking artifact
Even though carbon plate running shoes have the same advantages, they are not as perfect as imagined. In fact, a study published in the “Journal of Sport and Health Science” pointed out that carbon plate running shoes may have an adverse effect on the biomechanics of the foot; the reason is that the carbon plate excessively guides and restrains the toes and ankles, and the metatarsophalangeal joints of the feet Reduced workload on the ankle extensor muscles may lead to an increased risk of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The “Sports Medicine” literature also shows that when five athletes wore carbon plate running shoes, the “scaphoid” of the foot (one of the tarsal bones located on the inside of the foot toward the ankle) suffered severe pain or even fractures during and after running. status. In addition, studies have also pointed out that performance-enhanced carbon plate shoes can easily lead to a reduction in calf exercise, which may cause muscle atrophy of this muscle group in the long run.
“The sole of the running shoe is equipped with a carbon plate and a midsole made of thickened Pebax material. It is like a ‘double-sided blade’. Although it gives the runner more feedback from the ground, it also changes the runner’s center of gravity because the midsole is too thick. “Kim Hebert-Losier, a sports biomechanics expert at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, said that the direct impact of thickened midsoles may be an increased chance of knee, hip and back injuries, and even ankle sprains.
Dr. Adam Tenforde, a sports medicine expert at Stanford University in the United States, explained that compared with non-carbon plate running shoes, carbon plate running shoes exert different levels of load pressure on the foot, and even exert a “new pressure pattern on the foot bones.” " If this pressure is not recognized, it may lead to severe osteoarthritis and even osteonecrosis.
Will wearing carbon plate running shoes affect foot health? Expert: Do “2 things” to avoid developing dependence
Hebert-Losier believes these findings should be viewed with caution because elite athletes with high training loads may experience scaphoid pain or fractures regardless of shoe style. “In previous studies, approximately 64-70% of scaphoid fractures occurred in track and field athletes and runners, and understanding whether carbon fiber plates are associated with injuries requires prospective studies to account for the multifactorial nature of the injuries. As for how shoes affect the navicular bone, based on existing research, it is still difficult to establish a convincing cause-and-effect relationship.”
As for the general public or runners, will long-term use of carbon plate running shoes cause harm? Dr. Tenforde said that runners can indeed add carbon plate running shoes to their training plan. “We need to give our bodies a chance to adapt to the shoe and understand whether there is pain that is developing and not going away automatically after wearing this shoe.” He suggested that when wearing carbon plate running shoes versus non-carbon plate running shoes, A transition period is required, such as using carbon plate running shoes for short cadence runs in the early stages, and then gradually increasing to longer distances.
Hebert-Losier said some athletes or runners can adapt quickly to the changes and redistribution of load caused by changing shoes, but generally a more gradual or longer transition period is recommended. Rather than reserving carbon plate running shoes for races or performance enhancements, or using them on every run, runners are better off mixing them with their regular shoes to avoid developing a dependency.
Source:
Longitudinal bending stiffness does not affect running economy in Nike Vaporfly Shoes
Original Article Effect of wearing carbon plate shoes on the running economy of pronated feet
A comparison of running economy across seven highly cushioned racing shoes with carbon-fibre plates
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