The Lab

Sports shoe advice, written plainly — kit guides for parents, the science of sports shoes, and field notes from the pitch.

• Is strength training safe for children? What the research says about young athletes and weights — There's no evidence that lifting weights stunts a child's growth. Supervised strength training makes young athletes stronger, and the right warm-ups cut injuries. Here's what the research says, and what's sensible at each age.
• Release notes: what’s new in running shoes — The running shoes landing between now and January, what has actually changed — and whether they’re in the UAE yet. Updated every month.
• Are Chinese running shoes any good? What the reviewers say — Chinese brands now make racing shoes approved for competition, usually for less than the Western flagships. What reviewers say about six of them, from Li-Ning, Dynafish, Qiaodan and Xtep, and how to buy the right pair.
• Do running spikes really make you faster? What the research says — and when your child needs a pair — Spikes make trained runners measurably faster. Whether your child needs a pair is a different question — here's what the research, the rules and the price tag say.
• The world’s most beautiful running tracks — Twenty-two places to run in circles, from village grounds beneath mountains to the arenas that still take your breath away.
• HYROX shoes graded: nine shoes, station by station — Grip, bounce, bend and stability: nine shoes graded, seven on independent lab data — and why no shoe tops every station.
• Do you really need a HYROX shoe? What the race does to your body — and to your feet — What HYROX does to your body, what each station asks of your shoes — and whether a dedicated HYROX shoe is worth it.
• Knee pain in young athletes: what parents need to know about Osgood-Schlatter — A tender, alarming-looking bump just below the kneecap is one of the most common knee complaints in active kids — and almost always harmless. Here's how to manage it without sidelining your child, and the rare red flags that need a doctor fast.
• How long do running shoes last? — "300 to 500 miles" is the answer everyone repeats — and it's close to useless on its own. The real number depends on two things nobody asks you: how much you weigh, and what kind of shoe it is. Put both in and plan around it.
• How to tell when your child's running shoes are done — A running shoe can look perfectly fine and be finished — the cushioning dies on the inside, where you can't see it. Here's how to tell when a pair is spent, why it matters more for some kids than others, and how to judge a pre-owned pair on its foam, not its photo.
• Signs your child's football boots are too small — Children almost never say their boots are too small — they just go quiet, or sore. Here are the signs to catch it early, the two-minute check that settles it, and why a tight boot matters more than a tight trainer.
• Shin splints in young runners — and when shin pain is something more — Shin splints are the most common — and most commonly shrugged-off — complaint in young runners. Here's what they actually are, what helps, and the warning signs that mean shin pain needs a professional, not just a week off.
• How much running is too much for a child? — A parent's instinct is to ask whether a distance is safe — but the research keeps pointing elsewhere. It's rarely the race that harms a young runner; it's the weekly load around it. Here's what the evidence says about how much is too much, and how to read the warning signs.
• How much cushioning does your child actually need? — Barefoot minimalism on one wall, great slabs of foam on the other — and both can't be right. Here's what the research actually says about how much cushioning a growing child needs, and why the answer sits in the unglamorous middle.
• When to replace kids’ football boots — Most parents replace football boots when they look worn out — but the parts that fail first are hidden, and for younger kids the real question isn’t wear at all. Here’s what actually matters, in the order it matters.
• Flat feet in children: what the research actually says — "My child has flat feet — do they need insoles, or special shoes for sport?" What the trials found, whether flat feet hold a young athlete back, and the signs worth getting checked.
• Heel pain in active children: what parents need to know about Sever's disease — Sever's disease is the most common cause of heel pain in children aged 8–15. It sounds alarming. It isn't. Here's what it is, why it happens, and what footwear has to do with it.
• How to measure your child's feet at home — and actually get it right — Most shoe-sizing problems start before the shoe is bought. Here's the correct method, the common mistakes, and how often you actually need to do it.
• Astro turf or firm ground? The Dubai parent's guide to football boot surfaces — Most youth football in Dubai is played on 3G artificial turf. Most parents buy firm ground boots. Here's why that gap matters and how to get it right.
• The nerdy guide to running shoe foam (and why it matters more than you think) — From 1970s EVA to PEBA supercritical foam to carbon fibre plates — the material science inside modern running shoes, and why the difference between a £90 trainer and a £250 racer is mostly a chemistry problem.
• Are 'super shoes' good for children? What the science actually says — The foam and carbon plate technology behind elite adult running shoes is genuinely impressive. Here's why the developing foot needs something very different — and what to look for instead.
• Every pair your child outgrows has a 40-year afterlife — 22 billion pairs of shoes are thrown away every year. Most go straight into the ground — and they stay there for decades. Here's why kids make the problem worse, why recycling isn't the answer, and what actually helps.
• The washing-machine method for kids' sports shoes — A laundry bag, a cold cycle, and a homemade spray you can make in 30 seconds. How to keep kids' sports shoes genuinely clean — and why it makes them worth more when you sell.
• Match-day nutrition for young athletes in Dubai — Whether it's football, rugby, athletics or any other sport, Dubai's heat adds to the demands on young athletes. Here's what to feed them, what to drink and how to help them recover.
• Why sports shoes need to fit now, not eventually — Buying a size up to grow into is the most common thing parents do. Here's what it actually costs.
• Outgrown football boots: a quick guide for parents — Six things to check before you buy a second-hand pair, and three signs to walk away.
• How we check every pair — "Checked" is the most important word on the site. Here's exactly what it means.