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Can a high tech running shoe decrease running injuries? A new technology is being developed to help us find out.
Running injuries are something runners of all types wish to avoid, however, when someone is training, pain is often part of the process. The problem often is that you may not be able to tell if an injury is going to occur or if the soreness you are feeling is just from the training and mileage itself. I never agree with the concept of injuries just being a part of running, since there are some runners that rarely if ever have problems, while others go from injury to injury. The question is of course why.
A new technology is being developed that may help runners avoid injury. The basis for this sounds a lot like how the WII fit worked. Basically, the device has a sensor that tells you about form and impact and if you change your running according to what the device tells you to do, you can avoid injury. While I think this may be helpful, there is more to the dynamics of running than just the feet. The technology arrives in 2015, so we will have to wait until then to truly find out.
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New smart shoe to curb jogging-related injuries
Researchers have developed a new high-tech athletic shoe that evaluates a jogger’s running form and technique and warns them of exhaustion or overload to prevent injuries like pulled ligaments or torn muscles.
To prevent jogging-related injuries and symptoms of muscle overload during athletic training, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, Germany, in collaboration with five partners have developed the prototype of the specialised running shoe.
Sensors and microelectronics integrated into the sole of the shoe measure the biomechanical data of the athlete and evaluate the runner’s form with the help of measurements in real time.
“Pulse-rate watches and chest straps record only vital signs like breathing and heart rate. In contrast, our running shoe medically evaluates and monitors training while jogging,” said Dr Andreas Heinig, a scientist at IPMS.
“It informs the runner for example of incorrect foot position, asymmetric loading, or warns of exhaustion or overload. There has never been a comparable device before,” Heinig said.
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