Advancements in Running Shoe Technology: The Impact of Carbon Fiber Plates
Main Article Content
Keywords
carbon fiber plates, longitudinal bending stiffness, midsole, running performance, running economy, biomechanics
Abstract
Recent advancements in running shoe technology have led to increased utilization of carbon fiber plates (CFP) in running shoe construction. This review aims to investigate the literature to shed light on the relationship between carbon fiber plate design and running performance, running economy, biomechanics and risk of injury. A literature search was completed, and ten relevant articles were reviewed. The findings suggest that CFPs alter biomechanics of the lower extremity and may enhance running economy under specific conditions. Results remain inconsistent and some studies reported no significant improvements in running economy, metabolic cost or performance. Biomechanical alterations, including changes in plantar pressure distribution and muscle-tendon unit function, indicate potential implications for injury risk. Further research is necessary to investigate the impact of CFP design on running economy, biomechanics, performance and risk of injury.
References
2. Kiesewetter P, Bräuer S, Haase R, Nitzsche N, Mitschke C, Milani TL. Do Carbon-Plated Running Shoes with Different Characteristics Influence Physiological and Biomechanical Variables during a 10 km Treadmill Run? Applied sciences. 2022;12(15):7949. doi:10.3390/app12157949
3. Roy J-PR, Stefanyshyn DJ. Shoe midsole longitudinal bending stiffness and running economy, joint energy, and EMG. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;38(3):562-569. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000193562.22001.e8
4. Hunter I, Bradshaw C, McLeod A, Ward J, Standifird T. Energetics and Biomechanics of Uphill, Downhill and Level Running in Highly-Cushioned Carbon Fiber Midsole Plated Shoes. J Sports Sci Med. 2022;21(1):127-130. doi:10.52082/jssm.2022.127
5. Cigoja S, Asmussen MJ, Firminger CR, Fletcher JR, Edwards WB, Nigg BM. The Effects of Increased Midsole Bending Stiffness of Sport Shoes on Muscle-Tendon Unit Shortening and Shortening Velocity: a Randomised Crossover Trial in Recreational Male Runners. Sports Med - Open. 2020;6(1)doi:10.1186/s40798-020-0241-9
6. Ma R, Lam W-K, Ding R, Yang F, Qu F. Effects of Shoe Midfoot Bending Stiffness on Multi-Segment Foot Kinematics and Ground Reaction Force during Heel-Toe Running. Bioengineering. 2022;9(10). doi:10.3390/bioengineering9100520
7. Rodrigo-Carranza V, González-Mohíno F, Santos-Concejero J, González-Ravé JM. The effects of footwear midsole longitudinal bending stiffness on running economy and ground contact biomechanics: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European journal of sport science. 2022;22(10):1508-1521. doi:10.1080/17461391.2021.1955014
8. Beck ON, Golyski PR, Sawicki GS. Adding carbon fiber to shoe soles may not improve running economy: a muscle-level explanation. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):17154-17154. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-74097-7
9. Henderson A, Hulcher T, Koller C, Bruening D, Arch E. Deformable foot orthoses redistribute power from the ankle to the distal foot during walking. J Biomech. 2021;128:110728-110728. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110728
10. Nigg BM, Cigoja S, Nigg SR. Teeter-totter effect: a new mechanism to understand shoe-related improvements in long-distance running. Br J Sports Med. May 2021;55(9):462-463. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102550
11. Beltran RT, Powell DW, Greenwood D, Paquette MR. The Influence of Footwear Longitudinal Bending Stiffness on Running Economy and Biomechanics in Older Runners. Research quarterly for exercise and sport. 2023;94(4):1062-1072. doi:10.1080/02701367.2022.2114589
12. Tenforde A, Hoenig T, Saxena A, Hollander K. Bone Stress Injuries in Runners Using Carbon Fiber Plate Footwear. Sports Med. Aug 2023;53(8):1499-1505. doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01818-z
13. Fu F, Levadnyi I, Wang J, et al. Effect of the Construction of Carbon Fiber Plate Insert to Midsole on Running Performance. Materials. 2021;14(18):5156. doi:10.3390/ma14185156
14. Song Y, Cen X, Sun D, et al. Curved carbon-plated shoe may further reduce forefoot loads compared to flat plate during running. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):13215-8. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-64177-3
15. Miyazaki T, Aimi T, Yamada Y, Nakamura Y. Curved carbon plates inside running shoes modified foot and shank angular velocity improving mechanical efficiency at the ankle joint. J Biomech. Jul 2024;172:112224. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112224
16. Healey LA, Hoogkamer W. Longitudinal bending stiffness does not affect running economy in Nike Vaporfly Shoes. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(3):285-292. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2021.07.002
17. Song Y, Cen X, Chen H, et al. The influence of running shoe with different carbon-fiber plate designs on internal foot mechanics: A pilot computational analysis. J Biomech. 2023;153:111597-111597. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111597
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright, 2025 by the authors. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.