// Students noticeboard
Participant Recruitment for Running Study
I am recruiting participants for a study exploring how running shoes degrade over time, and how this impacts comfort and performance. It explores the use of an embedded sensor that measures the thickness of the midsole as mileage increases.
Why take part in this study?
👟You'll receive a FREE pair of running shoes👟
ℹ️ Get immediate insights into the condition of your shoes, including midsole thickness and personal performance metrics ℹ️
🔬You’ll be helping to shape future technology that could help runners avoid injuries and make better-informed gear choices.🔬
What is the purpose of the study?
This study investigates how the cushioning in running shoes breaks down with use, and whether a sensor can track those changes to help runners better understand when shoes need replacing.
Who can take part?
- Male runners aged 18–50
- Be able to cover 500km in the shoes by the end of summer (roughly 40km per week for 3 months)
- Between 60–80 kg
- Between 170–180 cm tall (although I may be slightly lenient on this)
- Are considered heel strikers
- Injury-free for the past year
- If you fall just outside the criteria but still interested, send an email over and I may still consider you.
What will you do?
- Wear a pair of test shoes (provided) for your regular runs
- Return the shoes to me for quick lab testing every 50 km covered (shoes will be returned quickly)
- Some participants will be informed to perform an hour long run starting/ending at Loughborough’s Sports Technology Institute (for immediate pre/post testing) throughout their mileage
- Keep the shoes after the study finishes (500 km max)
What else should I know?
You can withdraw at any time, and all data will be kept anonymous and confidential. Your participation helps develop tools to prevent injury and improve performance for all runners.
If you’re interested, or if you have any questions, please contact me at: h.zhu1-24@student.lboro.ac.uk
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Halley