Experts claim that some running shoes, especially those currently on the market, are no better than wearing high heels or walking barefoot. Irrespective of their state of the art cushioning, motion control and arch support technologies, they are likely to cause joint strain, according to experts. Experts say that the strain put on the joint by some of the walking shoes of equivalent of walking barefoot on manmade surface or walking with high heels on.

While exercise is no doubt beneficial for overall health, running and walking put stresses on your joints that may predispose you to getting osteoarthritis in those areas, said Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan, who conducted the study while at the University of Virginia, where she was a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage in your joints, which can lead to bone rubbing on bone, causing pain, Kerrigan explained. Walkers and runners should try to minimize forces on their joints to prevent this damage, she said.
“I’m concerned, I don’t think this study should promote running barefoot,” she said. “I think people should run in what they feel most comfortable running in … and whether that’s in a pair of running shoes or in a minimum kind of running shoe, that’s just fine.”