Researchers from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, have uncovered critical design flaws in women’s running shoes. The findings are shocking, as this footwear has hindered female runners’ comfort for years and likely prevented them from fully realizing their athletic potential and achieving top performance.
In a study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, the university team reported a “critical gap” in the design of women’s running shoes that fails to account for the anatomical differences of the female foot.
“Most of these shoes are actually not designed for women,” Dr. Chris Nap’ye, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of biomedical physiology and kinesiology, told BBC Science Focus. According to him, manufacturers have relied on a male foot model, applying the principle of “shrink it and pink it.”
This approach, of course, does not reflect the “real anatomical differences between male and female feet and how women run,” the researcher explained. As a result, these shoes may not fit properly and could hinder performance.
What Do Women Want?
The team involved 21 women aged between 20 and 70 in their research, asking participants about what they feel is lacking in running shoes.
The women had running experience ranging from 6 to 58 years. Eleven participants ran for pleasure, averaging 30 kilometers per week, while ten were professional athletes, averaging 45 kilometers weekly.
Most participants expressed a desire for running shoes that are wider in the toe box, narrower in the heel, and provide better cushioning. Dr. Nap’ye noted that this demand reflects the general differences in foot shape between men and women.
Those participants who were mothers (or planned to be) reported needing larger shoe sizes, a wider fit, and cushioning and supportive footwear during pregnancy and postpartum.
“Many participants realized that the issues they faced with running shoes were not just personal quirks but a common experience among women runners,” Dr. Nap’ye said. He hopes this research will serve as a “wake-up call” for the footwear industry, especially considering that most running shoes replicate a male last that is unsuitable for women’s footwear.
The research team believes it is unacceptable that “a significant portion of the running community is essentially forced to make do with shoes that are not designed for them.”
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