Luxembourg Institute of Health and Decathlon collaborate on research involving over 1,000 runners
New Large-Scale Study to Investigate Running Shoe Cushioning and Injury Prevention
The Physical Activity, Sport and Health (PASH) research group at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), in partnership with sporting goods retailer Decathlon and their running brand KIPRUN, is launching a new study to explore the role of running shoe cushioning in injury prevention. This large-scale project will analyse the impact of different cushioning solutions on injury risk by assessing over 1,000 runners over a six-month period.
How does it Work?
The study will specifically examine how cushioning material at both the rear and front of running shoes influences the likelihood of injury. Three different shoe versions will be tested, with each participant receiving a free pair of running shoes and sharing their running data via their sports watch. Participants will also report any injuries weekly through a dedicated web application and return the shoes at the end of the study for further analysis.
To participate, you need to meet the following criteria:
– Aged between 18 & 65 years
– Willing to use the study shoes for each running training session, and only for running activities
– Use a sports watch for training data recording
– Accept to give us access to your running data via your Garmin Connect, Polar Flow or Suunto account, or accept to upload the GPX file (downloaded from another system) into the data collection platform “STRIDE” for every running session
– Signed electronic Informed Consent provided
No limitation is set regarding running experience, running level (performance), body mass or body mass index. However, the study targets runners who practice at least once a week.
I’M INTERESTED, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
2. MEET US IN-PERSON
Fix an in-person appointment with our research team, which will last for around 20-30 minutes. You’ll receive a free pair of running shoes.
Address: Fondation Norbert Metz, 5ième étage, bureau 5.01, 76, rue d’Eich, 1460 Luxembourg
3. TRACK YOUR RUNS!
Start recording your running activity and see your data in our STRIDE platform.
Why are we doing this study?
LIH researchers aim to further understand the properties of cushioning, especially new “extra soft” foam cushions at both the rear and the front of the running shoe, and how they affect the risk of injury. The results are expected to provide valuable guidance for both runners and shoe manufacturers, influencing future designs to enhance injury prevention and running performance.
Read about our previous study HERE.
Project Leaders
