Why it's time to retire the ‘shrink it and pink it’ formula while designing women’s sports shoes
Most women still train in footwear shaped by male anatomy. Research and experts point to an urgent need for design innovations that reflect women’s biomechanics and life-stage changes
To all the women reading this, have you ever felt that the “comfortable" running shoes or sneakers you choose to wear while standing for long hours on your feet actually aren’t all that comfortable? That’s because most sports and running footwear is typically designed based on male anatomy and bio-mechanics. The same design is then shrunk and dipped in so-called girly colours in a process commonly called “shrink it and pink it" to create shoes for women.
Brands, generally, pay little attention to sex- or gender-based differences in foot morphology, biomechanics, social preferences or changing footwear needs across the lifespan. This despite the fact that women generally have a wider forefoot, narrower heel and distinctly different running biomechanics compared with men. No wonder Mumbai-based business development lead Aarti Mehra, 43, has always struggled to find a pair of running shoes that fit her well right from the time she started running in 2011. “I have to try out a fair few pairs before I can find one that works for me. I need a wide toe box and that’s difficult to find. In all of my 15 years of running I have gone through at least a hundred pairs of shoes. I have found shoes that are wide enough for my forefoot but not one pair has ever fit well… they have always been loose around the heels," says Mehra.
WOMEN'S SHOES NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES
A study published last month (in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine) found that there is a need for running footwear that is specifically designed to accommodate women’s anatomical characteristics and needs as the shoes available currently do not fully meet the needs of women runners. Led by researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada, the study included 21 women runners of all abilities aged between 20 and 70 years with a median running experience of 15 years. The researchers found many women currently adapt to suboptimal footwear rather than being offered targeted solutions. The study also found that shoes for women also need to account for life stage-related changes such as those occurring during pregnancy and postpartum. During pregnancy, collapsing of arches, swelling and increased laxity are common. Menopause and ageing bring loss of padding, increased risk of osteoarthritis, and changes in foot shape—all of these require responsive adjustments in shoe design and support.
Echoing the findings of the study, Vaibhav Daga, , head of sports science and rehabilitation and sports medicine consultant at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, says, “Women need running shoes designed specifically for their feet and biomechanics because female foot anatomy and biomechanics differ from that of male. These differences impact comfort, performance, and injury risk across the lifespan. Shoes built specifically for women’s feet help reduce pressure points, enhance stability, and support natural movement."
Almost every member of the recent Women’s World Cup-winning Indian team would have grown up playing in shoes designed for men or boys. Former India cricketer Diana Edulji acknowledges that this used to be the case in the past but claims that things have changed now. Daga, however, counters that. “Evidence suggests that progress is still uneven and many women remain underserved in mainstream athletic footwear, pointing to an urgent need for innovation and advocacy." It is the same story for football. Almost all top women footballers in the world today grew up training and playing in poorly fitting shoes. “Till very recently women footballers didn’t have shoes and kits designed for them forcing them to play in kits designed for boys and men," notes Chris Vella, director of design for running and training footwear, Puma.
ELITE ATHLETES ARE NOW PUSHING FOR BESPOKE SHOES
The standard practice of scaling down men’s shoe lasts (moulds) to make shoes for women fails to accommodate structural differences like arch height, toe box shape, heel width, and forefoot proportions which are crucial for proper fit and biomechanical support. Recent awareness of gender-specific needs has spurred some brands to invest in research, developing female-specific lasts, and introducing life-stage appropriate features, but change is slow and inconsistent. Elite sports and professional athletes have only recently started pushing for bespoke equipment demanding better support, performance, and injury prevention, say experts.
“Females have some fundamentally different anthropometrics and biomechanics from males, which can make their running form slightly different. For example, women tend to have wider hips, which can result in different strain on the knees than males," says Laura Healey, senior research and sports science manager for footwear innovation, Puma.
Training and running in poorly fitting shoes can lead to toe nail bleeding, heel slip, blisters, lace bite and pressure points. When shoes don’t fit right, the runner tries to ‘correct the fit’ usually causing something else that is negative. Healey, however, is convinced that a “female solution" may not work for every female as every runner — male or female — has a unique running pattern. “Needs are typically not gender specific but rather based on the characteristics of the particular runner. Footwear can be chosen based on what speed you plan on running, how far you typically run, your individualised foot shape, and your individual biomechanics," notes Healey.
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.
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