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Fitness · product guide

Training footwear: does it work?

Lifting shoes, cross-trainers, running shoes and flat trainers. Choose for comfort and the job; matching shoes to your arch type hasn't prevented injuries in trials.

Limited evidenceReviewed September 2026

What it is

Different training needs different soles. Weightlifting shoes have a firm, raised heel (commonly about 15–25 mm) that lets you squat more upright. Flat, thin-soled shoes and slippers keep you close to the floor for deadlifts. Cross-trainers are a stable middle ground for mixed gym work, and running shoes add cushioning for repeated impact.

Much shoe marketing rests on the idea that your arch or your 'pronation' decides which shoe will prevent injury. Large trials haven't supported that. A more useful filter is comfort for the activity, plus a firm base for lifting.

How strong is the evidence?

Limited evidence

Three randomized trials in about 7,200 military recruits found that choosing shoes by arch height prevented no more injuries than giving everyone the same shoe. In a cohort of 927 novice runners in neutral shoes, those with pronated feet weren't injured more often. That's decent evidence against arch-matching, but little shows any shoe prevents injury, and the 'comfort filter' is a reasoned proposal rather than a tested one. A small biomechanics study supports raised-heel shoes for a more upright squat.

The claims you'll see, checked

Match your shoe to your arch or pronation to prevent injury

False

In three trials of recruits, arch-matched shoes didn't lower injury rates, and novice runners with pronated feet weren't injured more in neutral shoes. Very flat, highly pronated feet are less well studied.

More cushioning prevents running injuries

Unproven

Cushioning changes how impact feels, but lower impact forces haven't been shown to mean fewer injuries.

Weightlifting shoes help you squat

Holds up

In a biomechanics study, raised heels let lifters squat with a more upright trunk and deeper knee bend. They help most if stiff ankles limit your depth. It was a small study with no injury data.

Deadlift in flat, thin soles

Unproven

A thin sole slightly shortens how far the bar travels and feels more stable, but no study has measured outcomes. It's a reasonable preference.

Minimalist or barefoot shoes strengthen your feet and prevent injury

Mixed

Some trials show stronger or larger foot muscles after switching, but no clear drop in injuries. Switching too fast is linked to bone stress in the foot and calf pain.

What to look for

  • Comfort in the actual activity. Try shoes at the end of the day, with your training socks, and move in them: jog, squat, lunge.
  • A firm, stable base for lifting. Soft running midsoles compress unevenly under heavy loads. A flat cross-trainer or a lifting shoe is steadier.
  • A raised heel only if you need it. Lifting shoes help if you squat upright or have stiff ankles. They're not for running or jumping.
  • Fit. Running shoes need about a thumb's width beyond your longest toe. Look for a heel that holds without slipping and a toe box that lets your toes spread.
  • A pair for each job if you do both. Running in lifting shoes, or lifting heavy in soft running shoes, compromises both.
  • Wear. Replace shoes when the midsole looks compressed, the outsole is worn through, or they start to feel different. Fixed mileage rules are rules of thumb.

What to skip

  • In-store gait analysis that sells 'stability' or 'motion-control' shoes based on your arch: trials don't support it.
  • Carbon plates and 'super-foam' for gym training: they improve running economy in racing but add nothing to lifting or mixed gym work.
  • Heeled lifting shoes if you rarely squat: they're a specialist tool.
  • Branded 'cross-training technology' claims: a flat, stable, comfortable shoe does the job.

How to use it

  • Wear new shoes for a few shorter sessions before a long run or a heavy day, and deal with any rubbing early.

Who should be careful

  • If you have diabetes or reduced feeling in your feet, check your feet after training, avoid shoes that are tight or rub, and see a podiatrist about fitting. Small blisters can turn into serious ulcers.
  • Switch to minimal or zero-drop shoes gradually, over weeks to months. Sudden switches are linked to bone stress injuries in the foot and to calf and Achilles pain.
  • Don't run or jump in raised-heel lifting shoes. The rigid, heeled sole makes it easier to roll an ankle.
  • Persistent foot or heel pain, or pain at one spot on a bone, needs assessment. It can be a stress fracture.

The studies

Every citation is checked against its PubMed record.

  1. Injury-reduction effectiveness of prescribing running shoes on the basis of foot arch height: summary of military investigations
    Knapik JJ, Trone DW, Tchandja J, Jones BH · Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy · 2014 · Pooled analysis of 3 RCTs

    In about 7,200 Army, Air Force and Marine Corps recruits, choosing motion-control, stability or cushioned shoes by arch height didn't reduce injuries compared with giving everyone a stability shoe.

  2. Foot pronation is not associated with increased injury risk in novice runners wearing a neutral shoe: a 1-year prospective cohort study
    Nielsen RO, Buist I, Parner ET, Nohr EA, Sørensen H, Lind M, et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2014 · Prospective cohort

    927 novice runners were all given the same neutral shoe and followed for a year. Runners with pronated feet weren't injured more often than those with neutral feet; they actually had fewer injuries per 1,000 km.

  3. Running shoes and running injuries: mythbusting and a proposal for two new paradigms: 'preferred movement path' and 'comfort filter'
    Nigg BM, Baltich J, Hoerzer S, Enders H · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2015 · Narrative review

    Impact forces and pronation, once thought to be the main ways shoes cause running injuries, lack conclusive evidence. The authors propose letting comfort guide shoe choice, which they call the 'comfort filter'.

  4. The effect of weightlifting shoes on the kinetics and kinematics of the back squat
    Legg HS, Glaister M, Cleather DJ, Goodwin JE · Journal of Sports Sciences · 2017 · Biomechanics lab study

    In 32 people doing back squats, weightlifting shoes reduced ankle bend and increased knee bend compared with athletic shoes, allowing a more upright posture. Experienced squatters made more use of the effect.