Impact of Advanced Footwear Technology on Running Economy at Slower Running Speeds

Background Compared to conventional running shoes, Advanced Footwear Technology (AFT) can contribute to improvements in oxygen cost (O ₂ cost) and consequently also in performance for athletes competing at fast speeds. Less clear are the effects of AFT at the slower speeds commonly adopted by recreational runners, who represent the majority of running community. This study aimed to understand the effects of AFT on O ₂ cost and biomechanics at slower running speeds. Methods Sixteen healthy, moderately-trained runners performed a running protocol consisting of an incremental test with four velocity stages (7.5, 9.0, 10.5 and 12.0 km·h ^− 1 ) wearing three different footwear conditions (a standard running shoe, On Cloudrunner 2, CR; an AFT shoe, On Cloudboom Echo 3, CE; and a shoe combining AFT and standard features, On Prototype, PR). The protocol was repeated on three different days by each participant. Gas exchange, spatiotemporal parameters and effort were measured throughout the runs. With the help of visual analogue scales (VAS) several subjective parameters were gathered, including the comfort, energy return and springiness, and overall satisfaction. Results A reduction in O ₂ cost of 5.4 ml O ₂ ·kg ^− 1 ·km ^− 1 (95% CI: 3.9 to 6.9 ml O ₂ ·kg ^− 1 ·km ^− 1 , p  < 0.001) in CE vs. CR and compared to PR of 4.1 ml O ₂ ·kg ^− 1 ·km ^− 1 (95% CI: 2.6 to 5.6 ml O ₂ ·kg ^− 1 ·km ^− 1 , p  < 0.001) was demonstrated over the tested speeds. No velocity-dependent reduction in the benefits of O ₂ cost was found. With respect to the measured spatiotemporal parameters no significant differences between footwear conditions were detected. A linear relationship between comfort and O ₂ cost was revealed ( p  = 0.014), where a higher comfort rating was associated with a higher O ₂ cost. Conclusion The findings indicate that AFT provide significant benefits in O ₂ cost at lower running speeds and no velocity-dependent decrease in O ₂ cost savings was observed. The AFT design for recreational runners should be further improved to unite both running economy and comfort benefits.