Cushioning? Yae or Nae?

For a lot of runners the motto is the softer the better. This is not always the case and depends on your running technique. If you are new to running and are simply getting into running then cushioning is probably your friend. Running is very stressful to your body with sometimes 2.5 times your body weight going through a single leg. It is only natural to think a healthy dose of cushioning will help reduce the impact of this. Unfortunately there are a few downsides to cushioning. Typically cushioning is heavy and causes your feet to start feeling heavy (lethargic). Typically a lot of soft shoes help absorb the load from impact but don't always help propel you forward. More cushioning does not mean more energy return. It can also sometimes aid your foot too much, to the point where your foot can become weak and under conditioned which can equally cause problems long term.

Our Advice?

If you are new to running a well cushioned shoe is probably sensible until you get used to the impact/stress of running and some mileage in the legs.

 If you are quite an experienced runner it depends on the distance you are running. Even experienced marathon runners need some cushioning and support but lean towards something lighter/responsive for shorter distances.