Cushy Running Shoes May Be Destabilizing Your Joints

Highly cushioned running shoes promise comfort and injury protection. Here’s how they stack up.

Running rewards you with serious cardiovascular benefits which have long been linked to longevity. It also punishes you for the wrong footwear: choose the wrong pair of running shoes, and your joints and your workout suffer. 

For years, minimalist shoes designed to mimic barefoot running were touted as the best way to reduce running injuries. (You may remember Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run, which largely kicked off the minimalist shoe craze.)

Now, the pendulum has swung the other way, with “maximal” running shoes incorporating 40mm of foam or more under foot and promising plush cushioning and joint protection.

When you’re looking to stay active into your 60s, 70s, and beyond, joint health is crucial. And if you’re a runner, you may be wondering if choosing a shoe with a lot of cushioning will help save your knees.

Let’s dig into the science to find out if maximal shoes will protect your joints and keep you running as long as possible—and learn how to choose the best running shoes for your body.

How Maximal Cushioning in Running Shoes Affects Your Joints

Lots of brands and influencers tout maximal cushioning as a way to reduce the stress that running places on your joints.

But the truth isn’t that simple.

“The key is to realize that just because there is more foam does not mean there is somehow more injury protection,” says Dr. Matt Klein, professor of physical therapy and founder of Doctors of Running.

“Our bodies are going to experience forces in one way or another. Maximal shoes tend to move them higher up into the hip and knee. That can be great for some people, but does not mean that they reduce injury risk.”

Instead of reducing overall injury risk, shoes with lots of cushioning simply move the risk to different joints, explains Klein. “The more data that comes out, the more we are seeing that injury rates are not different between the shoe types, just injury types (i.e., ankle, knee, hip, etc).”

Dr. Courtney Conley, founder of Gait Happens and author of Walk, says that maximal shoes might actually increase forces on the body. Interestingly, she notes that the problem might stem from the brain.

“When you’re running in highly cushioned footwear or sand, for example, your brain senses that you are going to land on something soft,” says Conley. “To maintain stiffness and efficiency, your body responds by making your legs stiffer, resulting in less natural shock absorption.”

Cushioning Changes Where Force Shows Up

Running isn’t inherently bad for your ankles, knees, or hips. But different shoes put stress on different joints — and understanding that can help you choose the best shoes to keep you running and healthy for the long term.

A recent study published in Footwear Science, for example, found that minimal shoes created less stress at the knee — but focused more force through the ankle than traditional and maximal shoes.

“A lot of research has said that minimal shoes are great for people with knee pain,” says Dr. JJ Hannigan, one of the study’s authors. He notes that there have been “several studies that have shown that minimal shoes generally decrease stress at the knee, but generally increase stress at the calf, Achilles, and ankle.”

On the other hand, Dr. Hannigan notes that some research suggests maximal shoes “might increase ankle instability,” which can lead to Achilles and calf problems. He points out that maximal shoes may increase runners’ risk of a stress fracture.

And a 2025 study found that shoes with 50mm of cushioning — about as maximal as you can get — introduced dynamic instability in the hip, further complicating the issue. (It’s worth noting that Adidas funded the study, but had no role in its design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.)

But injury risk — along with performance — is affected by many things outside of the amount of cushioning in a shoe, says Dr. Hannigan.

Firmer or softer foam, for example, can make a big difference, even with 40mm of cushion. Softer foam might reduce stress on the ankle, but it can also introduce instability, potentially increasing the risk of a rolled ankle (especially if you’re running on trails).

How to Choose the Right Running Shoe for Your Joints

You don’t necessarily need to abandon your favorite maximal pair — just to be more discerning as you make your next selection. Both Dr. Klein and Dr. Hannigan shared similar advice for runners looking to find the right shoes.

Side-stepping online retailers in favor of local running stores will allow you to try on a range of options. Test them out to see which are most comfortable. Then make a decision.

“We have not been able to figure out how to predict footwear choices by biomechanics,” says Dr. Klein. But some preliminary research backs up the idea that what you find comfortable is likely to be a good shoe for you.

When it comes to maximal shoes in particular, Dr. Hannigan recommends being careful if you have a history of ankle injuries, Achilles problems, or stress fractures.

Take the time to experiment with different levels of cushion, different designs, and different kinds of foam to find the right shoe that keeps you moving.

Staying Healthy While Running Comes Down to the Basics

Dr. Conley often hears in her clinic that patients want to avoid injuries while running. If maximal shoes aren’t the best way to protect your joints and stay injury-free, what is?

Her advice may sound familiar: “We have seen over and over again that the factors that trump footwear selection are running form, physical strength, and capacity,” she says. “Simply put, becoming a better, more skilled runner.”

Strength training and smart progression will always be key to injury prevention, whether you’re focusing on longevity-boosting cardio workouts or you’re just looking to maintain function as you age.

Choosing the right running shoes can help you exercise, injury-free, longer — and keep you on the path towards a healthy, active lifestyle at any age. But the research is clear: the best pair in the world is no substitute for a strong, well-trained body.

Read This Next