Those 'Ugly' Hoka Shoes

Page C6 Life Section

I did not call them ugly, the NYT headlines did. I do see more people wearing them now though. They have been popular for quite a few yeras now. Gino has written quite a few posts on them too. However, results from the studies were not good. 

Runners not used to such thick midsoles in that study (2018) absorbed more of the impact forces of running and in less time. While wearing the regular midsole height running shoes, the impact forces of each step were lower and more evenly spread over time.

In a follow up study to the earlier study (2019), the researchers had the runners run in the maximalist shoes for six weeks (so the runners get used to them) before they repeated the testing. The runners somehow did not adjust to the shoes. Interestingly, the runners still landed with greater force and pronated more in the maximalist shoes compared to their initial test run.

Yet another follow up study which was just published last month on a new group of male and female recreational runners (Hannigan and Pollard, 2020). The researchers got New Balance to custom make a pair of their neutral running shoes to allow them to alter the shoe by adding or removing foam. This shoe can then serve as minimalist, traditional or maximalist shoes to allow the researchers to focus solely on the role of cushioning in the runners' form.

This time, a few of the runners in this study were found to land heavily in the minimalist and maximalist shoes, but they pronated most in the maximalist shoes.

The authors commented that looking at the three studies as a whole would suggest that extra cushioning does influence several aspects of the way we run. The thickly stacked soles of maximalist shoes seem to subtly affect balance, making the shoe more unstable. This is then likely to increase ankle movement and pronation.

Some runners seen our clinic have gotten seriously injured while wearing maximalist running shoes. However, I'm definitely not against any runners switching to them. Provided they have tested them and ease into training with them slowly and finding them suitable.

Hoka Clifton - fashionable?

The newspaper article on page C6 in the Life section of the Straits Times today (120423) also mentioned that it was now 'fashionable' to wear them. Seriously?

References

Hannigan JJ and Pollard CD (2019). A 6-Week Transition To Maximal Running Shoes Does Not Change Running Biomechanics. AJSM. 47(4): 968-973. DOI: 10.1177/0363546519826086.

Hannigan JJ and Pollard CD (2020). Differences In Running Biomechanics Between A Maximal, Traditional And Minimal Running Shoe. J Sci Med Sp. 23(1): 15-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.008

Pollard CD Ter Har JA et al (2018). Influence Of Maximal Running Shoes On Biomechanics Before And After A 5k Run. Orth J Sp Med. 6(6): 2325967118775720. DOI: 10.1177/2325967118775720.