Ditch ‘shrink it and pink it’ women’s trainer design, say experts
Sports footwear manufacturers are being urged to ditch the “shrink it and pink it” approach when it comes to women’s running shoes.Over the past five decades, brands have invested billions of dollars into the development of trainers that prevent injury, maximise comfort and boost performance.But this research has overwhelmingly been designed for – and tested on – men, experts have said.Running shoes are typically designed using a three-dimensional foot-shaped mould called a last, which is usually based on male foot anatomy.Most sports footwear retailers use the same last for their entire range, and beyond making shoes smaller and changing the colour – a process known as ‘shrink it and pink it’ – only minimal modifications are made to create women’s shoes, the experts said.
Brands are therefore failing to differentiate women’s distinct anatomical and biomechanical needs across the course of their lives, a small study published in the open access journal has concluded.Female- rather than male-based designs would probably boost women’s comfort, enhance injury prevention and improve their performance, the experts said.For the study, researchers led by Simon Fraser University in Canada interviewed women in Vancouver to find out whether they faced any issues with footwear for their runs.They recruited 21 study participants with the aim of including a broad range of ages, running experience and weekly running volume and frequency.Eleven were recreational runners who clocked up a weekly average of 19 miles (30km); 10 were competitive runners who averaged 28 miles.
Nine of the women ran while pregnant or soon after giving birth,The women were aged between 20 and 70; their running experience ranged from six to 58 years,All of them were asked to rank in order of importance the factors informing their choice of running shoes,The responses showed that their primary considerations were the comfort and feel of the shoe, injury prevention and performance,In terms of comfort, most said they wanted a wider toe box, a narrower heel and more cushioning; competitive runners also wanted shoes incorporating performance-enhancing features, such as a carbon plate, as long as they did not compromise comfort.
The women said they actively sought running shoes that they believed would help prevent running injuries.With this in mind, both groups emphasised the high value they placed on buying shoes from trusted sources.They also highlighted the need for different shoe designs or components to align with different running contexts – for racing, training, speed work or running with an injury, for example.And those who were mothers reported needing larger shoe sizes and a wider fit, as well as more support and cushioning during pregnancy and after giving birth.Competitive runners also said they needed added cushioning and support features in their footwear as they grew older.
“Overall, our findings highlight a critical gap in the design of running footwear, which has been traditionally based on male anatomy and biomechanics,” the researchers wrote,“While participants did not always report an inability to find footwear, their narratives reflected a process of trial-and-error adaptation, often without guidance or purpose-built solutions,This suggests that their needs are not proactively addressed through current footwear design or communication,”They concluded: “We strongly recommend that the footwear industry should move beyond simply scaling down men’s shoes to fit women’s feet,Instead, there is a need for sex- and gender-specific designs that accommodate the distinct foot morphology of women and their social constructs and preferences, all of which evolve across the lifespan.
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The gospel according to Peter Thiel: why the tech svengali is obsessed with the antichrist
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. For the past week, my brain has been marinating in billionaire Peter Thiel’s byzantine musings about the antichrist and Armageddon. At this point, I’m pickled.Why, you might ask, does it matter what a billionaire thinks about the antichrist? Good question!To help us understand, my colleagues Johana Bhuiyan, Dara Kerr and Nick Robins-Early have reported on a series of talks given by billionaire political svengali and tech investor Thiel:Over the past month, Thiel has hosted four lectures on the downtown waterfront of San Francisco philosophizing about who the antichrist could be and warning that Armageddon is coming. Thiel, who describes himself as a “small-o Orthodox Christian”, believes the harbinger of the end of the world could already be in our midst and that things such as international agencies, environmentalism and guardrails on technology could quicken its rise
Instagram to bring in version of PG-13 system to protect children, says Meta
Instagram is to adopt a version of the PG-13 cinema rating system to give parents stronger controls over their teenagers’ use of the social media platform.Instagram, which is run by Meta, will start applying rules similar to the US “parental guidance” movie rating – first introduced 41 years ago – to all material on Instagram’s teen accounts. It means users aged under 18 will automatically be placed into the 13+ setting. They will be able to opt out only with their parents’ permission.While the teen accounts already hide or prohibit the recommendation of sexually suggestive content, graphic or disturbing images, and adult content such as tobacco or alcohol, the new PG-13 version will tighten restrictions further
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 review: the most comfortable noise cancelling headphones
Bose has updated its top-of-the-line noise-cancelling headphones with longer battery, USB-C audio and premium materials, making the commuter favourites even better.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.The second-generation QuietComfort Ultra headphones still have an expensive price tag, from £450 (€450/$450/A$700), which is more than most competitors, including Sony’s WH-1000XM6
What does the end of free support for Windows 10 mean for its users?
From Tuesday Microsoft will no longer offer free support as standard for Windows 10, an operating system that is used by millions of computer and laptop owners around the world.Figures for September suggest four in 10 of those using Microsoft Windows worldwide were still using Windows 10, despite the introduction of its successor, Windows 11, in 2021.After 14 October 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide standard free software updates, security fixes or technical assistance to Windows 10 PCs.This means computers running the software will still work but it will steadily become more vulnerable to viruses and malware as bugs and security holes are discovered.Microsoft says the more up-to-date system, Windows 11, “meets the current demands for heightened security by default”
Cyber-attacks rise by 50% in past year, UK security agency says
“Highly significant” cyber-attacks rose by 50% in the past year and the UK’s security services are now dealing with a new nationally significant attack more than every other day, figures from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have revealed.In what officials described as “a call to arms”, national security officials and ministers are urging all organisations, from the smallest businesses to the largest employers, to draw up contingency plans for the eventuality that “your IT infrastructure [is] crippled tomorrow and all your screens [go] blank”.The NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, said “highly sophisticated” China, “capable and irresponsible” Russia, Iran and North Korea were the main state threats, in its annual review published on Tuesday. The rise is being driven by ransomware attacks, often by criminal actors seeking money, and society’s increasing dependence on technology which increases the number of hackable targets.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, the security minister, Dan Jarvis, and the technology and business secretaries, Liz Kendall and Peter Kyle have written to the leaders of hundreds of the largest British companies urging them to make cyber-resilience a board-level responsibility and warning that hostile cyber-activity in the UK has grown “more intense, frequent and sophisticated”
Equity threatens mass direct action over use of actors’ images in AI content
The performing arts union Equity has threatened mass direct action over tech and entertainment companies’ use of its members’ likenesses, images and voices in AI content without permission.The warning came as the union said growing numbers of its members had made complaints about infringements of their copyright and misuse of their personal data in AI material.Its general secretary, Paul W Fleming, said it planned to coordinate data requests en masse to companies to force them to disclose whether they used members’ data in AI-generated material without consent.Last week the union confirmed its was supporting a Scottish actor who believes her image was used in the creation of the “AI actor” Tilly Norwood, which has been widely condemned by the film industry.Briony Monroe, 28, from East Renfrewshire, said she believed that an image of her face had been used to make the digital character, created by the AI “talent studio” Xicoia, which has denied her claims
England v Pakistan: Women’s Cricket World Cup match abandoned due to rain – as it happened
India to host 2030 Commonwealth Games – next stop the 2036 Olympics?
Aisle pay that: seat surcharges leave spectators on edge at some of Australia’s biggest events
Ryder Cup triumph being remembered for the wrong reasons, says Rory McIlroy
George Russell stays at Mercedes next season but door not shut on pursuit of Verstappen
George Ford turns down R360 riches for last shot at England World Cup glory