A frugal life is an easy life!

Lowering standards of general footwear in recent years, is leading (I believe) to more injuries.

As people are forced into ever more expensive footwear purchases, made on the cheap but retailing at a premium, those buying "regular" footwear are seeing an ever increasing issue with injuries.

Example:

Buying a run of the mill pair of trainers from a so called discount retailer, first the "sale" price is no sale at all (was £28.99 now £19.99, the price they have been for months).
Secondly, the standard of these trainers, are a low quality. Thin insoles, can lead to leg/knee/foot injuries.

Now if I want to pay a premium price, say in the region of £45 to £60, I get slightly better insoles, but not always, regardless of branding.

Of course I could go for, "Running shoes," but these are in excess of £70 and above. Ridiculous prices.

Next up is the classing of footwear.
"These £19.99 trainers are no good for kicking a ball around, they soon fall apart"
Is met with, "They are not designed to play sport in!"
So why are they sold as trainers then? No reply.
They have little to no insoles, they are not fit for running. Kick a ball around or run around a tennis court for 30 minutes, nope, not designed for that either.
Even the £1.99 black or white PE pumps from the markets used to last longer than the cheap alternatives today.

So what options if I want a pair of trainers for comfort at work and to kick a ball around in, on a school yard/dry field then?
"All weather boots"
But the cheaper range (£25 to £35) have the same issues with thin insoles and with "all weather" soles, soon wear out. So not suitable for general wear in the workplace.

How about the expensive, "Running shoes"?
Not designed for kicking a ball around or general wear. Just for running.
But these have the insoles that were previously standard in trainers, with support and prevented injuries.
They are over-priced also, which makes them unavailable to a section of society that would most likely need them.
Children from low income families (and adults) cannot afford to pay such prices.

By definition, trainers are designed for sports of all kinds.
By redefining each style into a separate category (running/football/tennis) etc, they (retailers and manufacturers) are increasing their profits, at the cost of our health.

In my role as a sports coach, I see this more and more.
Active and very active children, enjoying their sports, are picking up injuries to knees, ankles, heels, hips and groins.
Each time, I look at their footwear and without exception, they are in run of the mill basic regular trainers/shoes. Fine for all round wear, but if they play sports regularly, then injuries occur.

One final example to prove this process is at play.
Football boots.
In recent times these too have been recategorised.
It used to be the case, where football boots were football boots. Now they have "soft ground," "grass" and "hard ground" "all weather" football boots.
Each of course with varying prices and levels of quality.
Insole standards are poor.
What used to be, metal studs (times six, four front and two back) are now soft ground boots.
Plastic studs or blades are now hard ground or all weather boots.
The combination of blades and metal studs is also resulting in more injuries.

Metal six studded football boots are designed to not only grip, but allow for turning when the foot is planted.
Boots with six studs and two blades near the middle might look trendy in the shop, but if you are on firm ground, plant your foot and try to turn with your weight on it, it jars your leg/joints and can/often does, cause injuries.

Investigations into the footwear industry are long overdue.
Costs of treating a twisted knee, pain relief, physio, GP visits, support equipment, etc. Soon mount up.
More importantly, as our children compete in sports as they develop/grow, it's vital that they don't suffer these injuries, many of which can be avoided if minimum standards are applied.