Studies of running mechanics often use a standardized lab shoe, ostensibly to reduce variance between subjects; however, this may induce unnatural running mechanics. The purpose of this study was to compare the step rate, vertical average loading rate, and ground contact time when running in standardized lab shoes versus participants’ normal running shoes. Ground reaction forces were measured while the participants ran overground in both shoe conditions at a self-selected speed. The Student’s t-test revealed that the vertical average loading rate magnitude was smaller in lab shoes versus normal shoes (42.09 [11.08] vs 47.35 [10.81] body weight/s, P = .013), while the step rate (170.92 [9.43] vs 168.98 [9.63] steps/min, P = .053) and ground contact time were similar (253 [25] vs 251 [20] ms, P = .5227) and the variance of all outcomes was similar in lab shoes versus normal shoes. Our results indicate that using standardized lab shoes during testing may underestimate the loads runners actually experience during their typical mileage.

跑步力学的研究经常使用标准化的实验鞋，表面上是为了减少受试者之间的差异；然而，这可能会导致不自然的跑步机制。本研究的目的是比较参与者穿着标准化实验室鞋与普通跑鞋跑步时的步速、垂直平均负载率和地面接触时间。当参与者穿着两种鞋子以自行选择的速度跑过地面时，测量了地面反作用力。学生t检验显示，实验室鞋的垂直平均负载率幅度小于普通鞋（42.09 [11.08] vs 47.35 [10.81] 体重/秒，P  = .013），而步率（170.92 [9.43] ] vs 168.98 [9.63] 步/分钟，P  = .053）和触地时间相似（253 [25] vs 251 [20] 毫秒，P  = .5227），并且所有结果的方差在实验室鞋与普通鞋。我们的结果表明，在测试过程中使用标准化实验室鞋可能会低估跑步者在其典型里程中实际承受的负荷。