Running Footwear Advice
Evidence-led running footwear advice, tailored to your biomechanics, training demands and performance goals.
One of our comprehensive biomechanical assessments provides the foundation for accurate, personalised running footwear advice by objectively analysing how you move, how forces are applied through the foot and lower limb, and how load is managed with each step. By integrating a detailed musculoskeletal assessment with plantar pressure analysis, spatiotemporal gait metrics and, where appropriate, strength and load testing, we can determine how effectively forces are absorbed, transferred and generated throughout stance and propulsion. This allows us to identify whether a runner is over-relying on specific structures, demonstrating meaningful asymmetry, or struggling with shock attenuation, elastic energy return or propulsion efficiency, factors that footwear can meaningfully influence when selected appropriately.
At MH Sports Podiatry, running footwear recommendations are provided by Matt Hart, a specialist sports podiatrist and biomechanist with extensive expertise in running footwear assessment. With over 30 years’ experience as a competitive runner himself, Matt combines clinical insight with a practical understanding of training demands and performance trade-offs. His recommendations consider how key shoe design variables, such as midsole material properties, stack height, heel-to-toe drop, rocker geometry and longitudinal bending stiffness interact with individual biomechanics, tissue capacity and running speed. This expertise is further underpinned by his ongoing PhD research in running footwear, ensuring advice reflects current evidence around performance, injury risk and load modification rather than generic rules or brand-driven trends.
The result is footwear advice that is highly individualised and clinically justified, whether the goal is injury risk reduction, rehabilitation support, improved comfort or enhanced running efficiency. Shoes can be selected, compared or rotated to complement your natural movement pattern, address identified deficits or offload vulnerable tissues, while accounting for training volume, intensity and surface demands. Where required, footwear recommendations are integrated seamlessly with orthotic prescription, strength and conditioning or return-to-run planning, ensuring shoes become a purposeful and measurable part of your injury management or performance strategy rather than a trial-and-error process.
- Match footwear to your biomechanics by analysing how you move, load and generate force, ensuring shoe choice complements your natural gait rather than forcing unnecessary changes.
- Reduce injury risk and recurring pain by identifying footwear features that may be increasing tissue stress and selecting shoes that better manage load through the foot, ankle and lower limb.
- Improve comfort and running efficiency through evidence-led recommendations around midsole properties, stack height, heel-to-toe drop and rocker geometry based on objective assessment.
- Guide rehabilitation and return-to-run decisions by integrating footwear advice with strength, gait and load findings to support safe progression back to training.
- Cut through marketing and trends with specialist, PhD-informed advice that focuses on what works for your body, goals and training demands rather than generic shoe categories.
Benefits of Running Footwear
Load Management and Injury Reduction
Improved Comfort and Running Tolerance
Improved Comfort and Running Tolerance
Appropriate running footwear plays a key role in how load is absorbed, distributed and transferred through the foot and lower limb. Shoe characteristics such as midsole compliance, stack height, heel-to-toe drop and rocker geometry can meaningfully influence tissue stress at the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, calf complex, knee and hip. When footwear is well matched to an individual’s biomechanics and training demands, it can help reduce excessive localised loading, lower cumulative tissue stress and decrease the risk of overuse injury or recurrence.
Improved Comfort and Running Tolerance
Improved Comfort and Running Tolerance
Improved Comfort and Running Tolerance
Comfort is not simply subjective it is closely linked to how efficiently forces are managed with each step. Footwear that complements a runner’s natural movement pattern can reduce unnecessary muscular effort, minimise irritation to sensitive structures and improve tolerance to longer or more frequent runs. This is particularly important during rehabilitation or when training load is increasing, where inappropriate footwear may limit progression despite adequate strength and capacity elsewhere.
Performance and Running Efficiency
Integration with Rehabilitation & Training Strategy
Integration with Rehabilitation & Training Strategy
Running shoes can influence running economy and efficiency by altering energy storage and return, stride mechanics and propulsion characteristics. Midsole materials, longitudinal bending stiffness and rocker profiles can support more effective forward progression when aligned with a runner’s mechanics and speed demands. While footwear is not a substitute for conditioning or technique, appropriate selection can help runners move more efficiently and feel smoother at pace, particularly during sustained efforts.
Integration with Rehabilitation & Training Strategy
Integration with Rehabilitation & Training Strategy
Integration with Rehabilitation & Training Strategy
Footwear is most effective when used as part of a broader management or performance plan rather than in isolation. Shoes can be selected to temporarily offload vulnerable tissues, support specific phases of rehabilitation or complement strength and gait retraining strategies. When integrated with orthotic therapy, exercise rehabilitation and load progression planning, running footwear becomes a purposeful tool that supports recovery, long-term resilience and consistent training rather than a trial-and-error solution.
FAQs
Do I need to be an athlete?
No. We help anyone who wants to recover from injury, move without pain and perform better in daily life or sport.
Do you assess suitability for running shoes? Yes, 3D gait analysis explores shoe categories including cushioned vs stability, carbon-plated racing models, minimalist footwear, providing objective data needed to make the right choices.
How long until I recover from pain or improve performance? Pain often improves within weeks when load drivers are addressed. Performance changes depend on your starting point and adherence. We will outline milestones and re-test dates.
Can I bring previous scans or reports?
Absolutely. They help us integrate your history and focus testing where it matters.
What is your cancellation policy? We require a minimum of 24 hours' notice for cancellation or rescheduling. Missed appointments or cancellations received with less than 24 hours' notice will incur the full consultation fee.
What should I bring? For any assessment, please bring your primary sports footwear, any relevant custom orthoses and shorts/clothing that allow clear viewing of your lower limb.
