Footwear and Gait Biomechanics in Competitive Sports: A Review on Performance Optimization and Injury Mitigation

Shoes are a critical factor in the biomechanics of gait, especially in the setting of sport competition when margins are slim and the risks of injury are great. The interplay between shoe design and gait biomechanics is herein reviewed as a two-way process with the twin goals of optimizing sporting performance and reducing the incidence of injury. Through the synthesis of evidence from biomechanics, sport science, and material engineering, the review considers how differences in sole stiffness, cushioning, heel-to-toe offset, traction pattern, and flexibility of the upper material impact kinetic and kinematic measures of gait in different sporting activities. Care is taken to identify sport-specific requirements for example sprinting, long-distance running, court sports, and field sports, and how specifically tailored footwear can maximize propulsion, return of energy, and stability. The review also compares biomechanical compensations and adaptations caused by unsuitable or non-optimal footwear that lead athletes to be at increased risk of overuse injuries, joint misalignment, and muscle fatigue. Novel technologies such as smart insoles, real-time analysis of gait, and personalized 3D-printed shoes are reviewed for their promise to further the development of tailored performance solutions. Finally, the review calls for an interdisciplinary approach to footwear design, with the collaboration of biomechanists, footwear designers, and sports practitioners as a route to narrowing the gap between the outcomes of the laboratory and the practical realities of sporting performance and prevention of injury.