Cushioned Running Shoes May Hurt You

Running in modern, cushioned trainers may increase the risk of injuries, say scientists who have found that ‘minimal’ shoes with no cushioning put significantly less demand on a runner’s body. Runners who wear running shoes with no cushioning land on the ball of their foot rather than the heel, researchers said. They compared how quickly the force acts when runners’ feet hit the ground – known as loading rate – which has been shown to influence running injury risk. The study of 29 runners found significantly lower loading rates for those who wore so-called minimal running shoes and landed on the ball of their foot, compared to people in normal running shoes, regardless of whether the latter landed on the heel or ball of the foot. So many people use running as a means of reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but about three quarters of runners get injured a year. This research shows that running in minimal shoes and landing on the balls of your feet reduces loading rates and may reduce the risk of injury.

Sexism May Harm Men's Mental Health

Men who see themselves as playboys or as having power over women are more likely to have psychological problems than those who conform less to traditionally masculine norms, a new study has warned. Researchers also found that men who adhere to masculine norms are also less likely to seek treatment. In general, individuals who conformed strongly to masculine norms tended to have poorer mental health and less favorable attitudes towards seeking psychological help, although the results differed depending on specific types of masculine norms. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 78 research samples involving 19,453 participants that focused on the relationship between mental health and conformity to 11 norms generally considered by experts to reflect society’s expectations of traditional masculinity. While overall, conforming to masculine norms was associated with negative mental health, the researchers found the association to be most consistent for these three norms – self-reliance, pursuit of playboy behavior, and power over women. The masculine norms of playboy and power over women are the norms most closely associated with sexist attitudes.