Originally Posted by clink83

There is not a single peer reviewed scientific study that has shown that running shoes PREVENT injury, or that "support" somehow prevents injuries. However, there are many studies that show that heavily padded shoes make you hit the ground harder, and shoes with a lot of ramp angle encourage heel striking, which can increase the impact of running 7x times. You don't need fancy support, you don't need motion control heels, and all that crap. If you don't land on your heels as your primary means of running, you don't need all that jazz. It's a matter of proper running form, and most shoes are built to make you run in an unnatural way.