Foot-Stiffening Socks Cut Running Energy Use
A small study found specialized socks reduced walking and running energy expenditure compared with standard athletic socks.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Running
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Researchers developed socks with three 1-millimetre bands across the ball of the foot that reduced metabolic expenditure in 10 of 12 participants by 2 per cent versus control socks. The researchers have a sponsored research agreement with New Balance to commercialise the design.
Why it matters
The socks work by allowing the ankle and its muscles to push off at a slower velocity, while leaving the toes and arch free to flex and recoil. Earlier attempts using stiffer shoes or inserts failed to reduce effort, which prompted the team to try socks instead.
The study measured a 2 per cent drop in metabolic expenditure in 10 of 12 adults wearing the socks compared with control socks, a reduction the researchers equate to an average person losing 2 kilograms. The source does not report outcomes beyond this 12-person sample, and the estimated marathon gain of 1 to 2 minutes remains a projection.
The players
New Balance
A global athletic footwear and apparel company that has a sponsored research agreement with the researchers to commercialise the socks.
Beck
A researcher involved in the study who hopes elite runners will use the socks at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The details
The socks are made from a common synthetic athletic yarn blend and use three 1-millimetre wide bands knitted across a 30-millimetre region around the ball of the foot. The bands apply 24 times more pressure than regular control socks. The study recruited 12 adults with no known health conditions and included treadmill walking for 5 minutes.
Timeline
Human feet diverged from chimpanzees around 6 million years ago and became stiffer than other apes.
Beck hopes elite runners will wear the socks at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Season Trajectory
The socks build on earlier research in which stiffer shoe midsoles and inserts failed to reduce walking and running effort, shifting the approach from footwear to a lighter sock-based design. The shift matters for athletes preparing for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where the researchers hope elite runners will test the design.
For runners, the key takeaway is that the socks are still in research and commercialisation, so the 2 per cent efficiency gain is not yet available as a product. Any marathon improvement of 1 to 2 minutes is an estimate, not a measured result.
The takeaway
Efficiency gains in running can come from small changes at the foot, not only from shoes or training volume, and a 2 per cent saving matters over long distances. Runners should treat early claims about performance benefits as provisional until larger studies are published.
Further reading
Explore more running coverage for context on how new gear and training research are changing the sport.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New Scientist.
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