Does it make sense to have men’s and women’s running shoes? – 08/15/2023 – On the Run

The production of different footwear for men and women is at the genesis of modern industry. Imagine traveling back in time to the mid-20th century and looking at people’s feet. They strutted around in loafers, while they shopped for flats and balanced on high heels. It was virtually impossible to confuse male and female products.

In 2023, the scenario is different. Boys wear pink, and girls wear blue. From this perspective, I ask myself if it still makes sense to think of male and female models.

I took my question to the manufacturers of sporting goods. Some of the companies preferred not to respond so as not to enter into controversy. In times of cancellation, the fear is understandable.

Other companies agreed to speak, and the truth is that, at least with regard to running shoes, there is no consensus. Some prefer unisex models, others choose to offer different alternatives for each gender.

Even in the face of a divided scenario, it is possible to infer two main rules about tennis and gender. The first is that there are anatomical differences between men and women that may justify the production of specific shoes for each of them.

“New Balance currently has men’s and women’s divisions between its running shoe models, built solely for technical reasons, on account of the general differences in the shape of men’s and women’s feet,” says New Balance, in a statement. .

Asics goes along the same lines. “Physically speaking, the anatomy of the female and male foot are different, from the issue of the arch of the female foot being more accentuated than that of men, as well as the issue of the space of the male foot being larger than the female foot, for example .”, explain Daniel Costa and Flávio Higa, from the Japanese brand’s product team.

Mizuno, on the other hand, usually produces the same sneakers, without differentiation in production, and includes a more comprehensive numbering, in addition to a larger color chart. “We don’t necessarily divide the models between male and female, but the numbers, shapes and colors, and when we see the need to develop a specific model for a specific audience”, confirms Gabriela Castro Mos, Mizuno product manager.

The anatomical differences between male and female feet are subtle. Even experienced orthopedists find it difficult to point out consistent distinctions – these, much more related to the individual’s peculiarities than to the gender itself. However, on average, it is possible to state that female feet are slightly more arched, while males have proportionally longer feet, with higher toes. Studies also show that women are more likely to develop bunions, which requires shoes that are wider in the toe area.

And how does the industry work these differences? Offering women’s sneakers, in general, wider in the toes, and more adjusted in the heel region. Another universal rule is to have smaller sizes for women and larger sizes for men. But even these guidelines vary from model to model, and from manufacturer to manufacturer.

So we come to the second rule: comfort must be ahead of gender. If you’re in a physical store, don’t be shy about trying on a model made for the opposite sex. Shoes can be more comfortable on your foot, and at the end of the day (and training), that’s what matters.

“Consumers should use the sneakers model that best fits their own biotype and also their personal taste. Within this context, one of the brand’s recommendations is that the person has the opportunity to try on or test the sneakers before or during the making the purchase”, says New Balance.

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