Asking AI: What are the benefits of biomechanics shoe fitting?
- Cody Koontz
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
I recently discovered a feature that allows me to see how our store website is used by different ai chatbots to answer queries. This is my attempt to right some wrongs, debunk some conspiracies, and toot some horns from everyone’s favorite personal assistants.
Today’s query: What are the benefits of biomechanics shoe fitting?
ChatGPT’s response:
“Biomechanics shoe fitting offers several key benefits, including enhanced comfort, injury prevention, improved performance, customized support, better posture and alignment, and long-term foot health.
By analyzing an individual's foot structure and gait through biomechanical methods such as gait analysis, shoes can be tailored to provide optimal support and cushioning, which reduces discomfort during walking or running[1]. This fitting helps identify and correct biomechanical issues like overpronation or supination, which are linked to injuries such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and knee pain[1][2]. Athletes especially benefit from footwear that aligns with their natural movement patterns, improving efficiency and reducing fatigue[1][3].
Biomechanical fitting also allows for recommending specific shoe features—such as arch support, heel height, and sole stiffness—customized to the wearer's needs[2][4]. Properly fitted shoes contribute to improved posture and alignment, positively affecting the entire musculoskeletal system and potentially alleviating strain on the back and joints[1]. Over time, consistent use of biomechanically appropriate footwear supports foot health and helps prevent chronic conditions[2].
In summary, biomechanics shoe fitting uses scientific gait and foot analysis to provide a personalized approach to footwear that enhances comfort, performance, injury prevention, and overall musculoskeletal well-being[1][2][3][4].”
Sources used (note that 4 sources are cited in the response and only 2 are shown):
(^not even about biomechanics, article published jan 2016)
“Error 404” lol
Cody's Response to the Response
ChatGPT’s short response is great, really. 100% agree.
There are 2 main problems I have with the response as a whole.
One Shoe To Rule Them All
The first problem I have is the implication that there is one shoe for each person. In reality, a good shoe fitting points you away from shoes that won’t work for you, leaving you a few options that could work wonders. And we go from there based on how you perceive each aspect of the shoe/shoes.
The role of feel is often undervalued in computer-generated shoe fittings. Your feet have LOADS of sensors and your feelings cannot be ignored!
Oh, and it is a little short-sighted in how the foot/ankle actually work in running. Here’s a hot take: most people don’t need their overpronation or supination “corrected.”
This opens up a delectable can of gummy worms for the impact of the entire body on the feet (and vice versa). More on that at another time or later in this post, but for now, understand that running is very complex and having a person who balances an understanding of biomechanics and obsessiveness for footwear technology is the best-case scenario.
The biggest problem with this response is that it cites sources that either don’t exist or aren’t relevant
While it’s true that “Over time, consistent use of biomechanically appropriate footwear supports foot health and helps prevent chronic conditions[2].” The “[2]” source is a link to a Healthline.com article which results in Error 404.
This source citing gives the impression that “biomechanically appropriate footwear” is something proven and which lines up with the reader’s preconceived notions. But it doesn’t explain what those words mean and the source it cites can’t be evaluated for relevance or accuracy.
The phrase “biomechanically appropriate” isn’t even relevant for the way some fittings are done.
The Encyclopedia Britannica has this to say about biomechanics (emphasis added):
“...the study of biological systems, particularly their structure and function, using methods derived from mechanics, which is concerned with the effects that forces have on the motion of bodies.”
Any biomechanical analysis that doesn’t involve an assessment of the motion of the body is not a biomechanical analysis. That would be better called a bio analysis, sans mechanics. Keep that in mind next time you step on a foot scanner.
Recap
This isn’t a bad response. But it misses a key part of answering this question: education. The word “biomechanics” gets thrown around and tied to different sales contexts. It is crucial to have an understanding of what that word means to get the best answer to your question.
It’s dangerous to have an appearance of credibility with some unhelpful sources cited. It looks nice to have a citation in the middle of a response, but if it isn’t tied to a relevant source (or a source at all), run away!
Just a little more on this for now…
We care about shoe fitting a lot. Shoe fitting for running is sometimes oversimplified for the sake of sales and social media engagement. Biomechanics is a complex field and while we don’t all claim to be experts in it, we do have an absurd amount of experience with runners and knowledge of footwear to be expert at fitting you for running shoes. No body system operates in isolation, you run with your entire body!
