For countless women in India and around the world, the search for a truly comfortable pair of running or training shoes remains an elusive goal. The core of the problem lies in a longstanding industry practice where footwear is primarily designed for male feet and then superficially adapted for women through a process dismissively known as 'shrink it and pink it'. This involves simply scaling down a men's shoe model and recolouring it in stereotypically feminine hues.
The Anatomical Mismatch and Its Real-World Impact
This approach largely ignores critical sex-based differences in foot structure and movement. Women generally possess a wider forefoot, a narrower heel, and distinctly different running biomechanics compared to men. This fundamental mismatch forces many women to adapt to suboptimal footwear. The experience of Aarti Mehra, a 43-year-old business development lead from Mumbai, is a telling example. An avid runner since 2011, Mehra has tried over a hundred pairs of shoes in 15 years. 'I need a wide toe box and that's difficult to find,' she explains. 'I have found shoes that are wide enough for my forefoot, but not one pair has ever fit well… they have always been loose around the heels.'
A recent study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, led by researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada, validates these widespread struggles. The research, which involved 21 women runners of varying abilities aged 20 to 70, concluded that available running shoes do not fully meet the needs of women runners, who often have to compromise with ill-fitting gear instead of being offered targeted solutions.
Accounting for Life Stages and Preventing Injury
The call for innovation goes beyond basic anatomy. Experts emphasize that women's footwear must also adapt to life-stage changes. During pregnancy, issues like collapsing arches, swelling, and increased ligament laxity are common. Later in life, menopause and ageing can bring about a loss of natural foot padding, an increased risk of osteoarthritis, and permanent changes in foot shape. Each of these phases requires responsive adjustments in shoe design and support.
Vaibhav Daga, a sports science and rehabilitation expert at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, echoes this need. 'Women need running shoes designed specifically for their feet and biomechanics because female foot anatomy and biomechanics differ from that of male,' Daga states. These differences impact comfort, performance, and injury risk across the lifespan. Properly designed shoes can help reduce pressure points, enhance stability, and support natural movement, thereby preventing common issues like blisters, heel slip, and more serious injuries.
A Slow Shift in the Industry
The problem has been pervasive across sports. Many members of India's recent Women's World Cup-winning cricket team likely grew up playing in shoes designed for men or boys. While former cricketer Diana Edulji acknowledges that this was the reality in the past and claims things are changing, Daga offers a more cautious perspective. 'Evidence suggests that progress is still uneven and many women remain underserved,' he notes, highlighting an urgent need for continued innovation and advocacy.
The tide is beginning to turn, albeit slowly. Increased awareness is pushing some brands to invest in research, developing female-specific shoe lasts (the moulds around which shoes are built) and introducing life-stage appropriate features. Chris Vella, director of design for running and training footwear at Puma, confirms that until very recently, women footballers were forced to play in kits and shoes designed for boys and men. Now, elite female athletes are starting to demand bespoke equipment for better support, performance, and injury prevention, driving change from the top down.
Laura Healey, senior research and sports science manager for footwear innovation at Puma, adds a nuanced view, pointing out that a 'female solution' may not work for every woman, as every runner has a unique pattern. 'Needs are typically not gender specific but rather based on the characteristics of the particular runner,' Healey notes. However, she acknowledges fundamental differences, such as women tending to have wider hips, which alters strain on the knees during running. The consensus is clear: the outdated 'shrink it and pink it' formula is failing women, and the time for a genuine design revolution in women's athletic footwear is long overdue.
