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Review
. 2023 Dec 20:19386400231218334.
doi: 10.1177/19386400231218334. Online ahead of print.

Maximalist Shoes: Separating Science From Hype

Justin C Haghverdian  1 , Andrew R Hsu  1
Affiliations
Review

Maximalist Shoes: Separating Science From Hype

Justin C Haghverdian et al. Foot Ankle Spec. .

Abstract

One of the most discussed but misunderstood topics in foot and ankle is shoe wear choices and the purported benefits of each type of shoe versus their actual scientific advantages. All foot and ankle care providers should be familiar with the various shoe wear types available to patients to improve their overall foot health. Recently, mainstream popularity and media coverage of maximalist shoes has created increased interest in the science and potential clinical benefits of maximalist shoes. The purpose of this review is to present the current biomechanical evidence of maximalist shoes and to help inform the foot and ankle community of their potential therapeutic applications.Levels of Evidence: Level V.

Keywords: Hoka; biomechanics; foot strike; footwear; gait; heel-toe drop.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Justin Haghverdian, MD, has no conflicts; Andrew R. Hsu, MD, is a paid consultant for Arthrex, Inc.

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