Running is a popular competitive and recreational activity with numerous health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, and improved mental health. Despite these benefits, running continues to carry a high risk of injury. The primary objective of this study was to compare plantar pressure (peak forefoot and rearfoot pressure, center of pressure displacement and distance) between maximal and traditional running shoes in recreationally active individuals. A repeated-measures experimental design compared the 2 shoe conditions (maximal vs. traditional) within the same participants. Twenty recreationally active adults (11 females, 9 males) performed 5 overground running trials in a maximal and traditional shoe. Plantar pressure, vertical ground reaction forces, and ankle kinematics were measured using a combination of pressure insoles, motion capture, and force plates. Two-tailed paired t-tests with Benjamini-Yekutieli corrections were used to assess differences between shoe conditions (α = 0.05), while effect sizes (Cohen’s d) quantified the magnitude of observed differences. Peak forefoot plantar pressure was significantly lower in the maximal shoe (P = .01, d = 0.47), while center of pressure displacement (P = .03, d = 0.39) and distance (P = .01, d = 0.40) were also significantly shorter in the maximal shoe. No significant differences were observed in vertical ground reaction forces (VIP, VAP, AVLR) or ankle kinematics (P > .05). Maximal shoes reduce forefoot plantar pressure and center of pressure displacement and distance compared to traditional shoes in recreational runners. These findings suggest that maximal shoes may help with load management for injuries where decreased forefoot plantar pressure is desired.

Source: Hannigan J, Giulietti N, Traeger B, Moore D, Boechler V, Giammichele K, Dean S. Plantar pressure in recreational athletes running in maximal and traditional shoes. J Sci Med Sport. 2025;28(11):955-959. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.06.004.