Episode 39 : Carbon Plate Shoes Miracle or Marketing? The ULTIMATE Guide 👟

Episode 39 : Carbon Plate Shoes Miracle or Marketing? The ULTIMATE Guide 👟💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: [email protected]☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactateSummary: Marketing sells you a spring, but biomechanics reveals a lever. This episode dissects the "Super Shoe" paradigm where the high-stack PEBA foam acts as the engine returning 87% of energy, while the curved carbon plate provides the steering and stability that makes the foam usable; research validates a running economy improvement of 2.7% to 4.2%, but this is velocity-dependent, with benefits diminishing significantly below 14 km/h where the stiffness may become detrimental. We analyze the critical role of rocker geometry in offloading calf muscles and the "teeter-totter" effect, while cautioning against the new injury phenotype of navicular stress fractures caused by exclusive use; you will learn why "super trainers" might be better for daily miles, why the foam dies after 450 km, and how Fila pioneered this decades before Nike's Vaporfly changed the sport's history.Keywords: peba foam, carbon plate, running economy, biomechanics, marathon, nike vaporfly, injury prevention, navicular stress, super shoes, velocity threshold🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance.Key references :Hoogkamer, W., Kipp, S., Frank, J. H., Farina, E. M., Luo, G., & Kram, R. (2018). A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes. Sports Medicine, 48(4), 1009-1019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0811-2Joubert, D. P., & Jones, G. P. (2022). A Comparison of Running Economy Across Seven Carbon-Plated Racing Shoes. Footwear Science, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2022.2038691Tenforde, A. S., Hoenig, T., Saxena, A., & Hollander, K. (2023). Bone Stress Injuries in Runners Using Carbon Fiber Plate Footwear. Sports Medicine, 53(8), 1499-1505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01818-zAgresta, C., Giacomazzi, C., Harrast, M., & Zendler, J. (2022). Running Injury Paradigms and Their Influence on Footwear Design Features. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.8156755Barnes, K. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2019). A Randomized Crossover Study Investigating the Running Economy of Highly-Trained Male and Female Distance Runners in Marathon Racing Shoes versus Track Spikes. Sports Medicine, 49(2), 331-342.Rodrigo-Carranza, V., et al. (2022). The effects of footwear midsole longitudinal bending stiffness on running economy and biomechanics. European Journal of Sport Science.Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.