Shoes are important. Here is an interesting study on maximal ( or cushioned) running shoes. Most would expect a cushioned shoe to result in lower impact. However this small study (sample of only 15) found that compared to neutral shoes, participants using the maximal shoe experienced an increase in loading forces. This could have implications for running injuries. While maximal shoes can be great, this leads us to ask the question, ‘What running traits make a person better for a neutral shoe vs. a cushioned shoe?’