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Recently, in our Running Lab in London, we have been conducting various analyses of carbon plate running shoes.
By analysing dozens of analytical data about running parameters of runners wearing carbon plate running shoes and normal ones, we have discovered that not always are the most advanced running shoes the right choice!
So if you have to choose between carbon plate running shoes and normal ones, we advise getting a high-tech running analysis to check the running parameters, which can evaluate the performance of carbon plate running shoes.
Let’s delve a bit further into the running parameters, which suggest that the carbon plate running shoes may not be the right choice for you.
I would like to start by saying that the running parameters we are going to analyse here do not always underperform in all runners.
The following data have been collected from a triathlete with a half-marathon time of around 1:40 minutes, personal best.
The most important running parameters where the carbon plate shoes underperform are:
Our high-tech running analysis system, thanks to pressure sensors underneath the mat, can provide us with a detailed 3D foot pressure map of each single step, during 30 seconds of running analysis recording.
This runner feels faster when running with carbon plate running shoes, but after 5km, experiences left hip and foot pain.
By analysing the data about his running with carbon plate running shoes, we discovered that one of the causes of his pain comes from the excessive peak of forces acting on his left forefoot and Hallux compared with the data coming from running with normal shoes.
In the image below, you can see the comparison between the carbon plate and normal running shoes 3D feet pressures map of each single step. You can notice the peak of forces (yellow-red Spots ) acting on the forefoot and Hallux only on the data about the carbon plate running shoes.
This excessive peak of forces could come from two main factors:
For this specific runner, I think it comes from both reasons, as there is a very mild peak of forces only on the top of the right Hallux (small yellow-orange spot )Â for the normal shoes as well.
This excessive peak of forces could be reduced with a neuromuscular running technique training, but here we are analysing the data comparing the two different shoes without the aim of improving the running performance.
Generally, the carbon plate running shoes should provide a bigger step length than the normal ones due to their elastic force generated by the carbon plates, but not in this case, unfortunately!
As I was surprised by the data collected from the first running analysis comparison, where the carbon plate running shoes underperformed, I did a second recording. The second recording was better for the carbon plate shoes, but it was always a bit underperforming on the left foot.
The two recording are shown in the images below.
More specifically, the first recording shows the carbon plate running shoes with a step length 2 cm shorter than the normal ones.
The second recording is better than the first one, but always with a step length discrepancy of 1cm on the left foot with carbon plate running shoes.
There could be many reasons for this underperforming step length, but one of them could be the fact that there is more foot rigidity inside the shoes, which, combined with a non-perfect foot stride technique, can cause a shorter step length.
But we need more data and case studies to check the reasons for this underperforming running parameter.
Increased foot pronation with carbon plate running shoes is an issue we have been experiencing with many runners during our running analysis.
We have been collecting a lot more data about foot pronation from carbon plate running shoes than the other two running parameters analysed before.
It is due mainly to the increased shoe padding and reduced ankle support.
The image below shows a comparison between the carbon plate running shoes and the normal ones during the loading foot stride.
you can notice how the carbon plate shows increases the right foot pronation.
The second image below shows the data and the running butterfly graph for the analysis of the two different running shoes.
The most common body postural issues, which are worsened by the Carbon Plate running shoes in our study cases, are:
Flat feet in runners often cause plantar fasciitis, which Carbon Plate running shoes could make worse due to their soles’ rigidity.Â
Valgus ankle, in runners, causes foot pronation after foot strike, which Carbon Plate running shoes can make worse due to their bigger heel padding and less ankle support.
As the Valgus knee is associated very often with the Valgus ankle and more foot pronation for runners, Carbon Plate running shoes are not advisable for runners with this knee condition.
After analysing hundreds of analytical data about Carbon Plate running shoes, we think that they are not always the best option for the average amateur runner.
We think that more studies like ours have to be done by the running shoes producer to develop carbon plate running shoes that are safer and with better performance for non-professional runners as well!
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