Trainers: extra cost does not mean added benefit
According to a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, lower-priced athletic footwear can offer the same, if not greater, benefits than expensive trainers.
Tests on nine pairs of running footwear from three different price bands indicated that more moderately priced shoes often provided better impact cushioning and general comfort than the higher-end products.
The shoes varied from £40 to £75 in price and were tested by 43 people, from whom prices were concealed. A Pedar device was used to measure injury-causing plantar pressure, the force created by the impact of the shoe’s sole when it hits the ground.
And, while different models produced varying results for different parts of the shoe, there was no great difference in overall performance, either in terms of price or with regard to brand. If anything, a slightly lower Plantar pressure was noted among the cheaper models. Scores awarded by participants also showed that more expensive footwear was no more comfortable than the lower-priced shoes.
