Are barefoot shoes worth it?
Last verified
Barefoot shoes are an option, not an essential upgrade. Some running studies found benefits, but they do not establish a safer stride or a transition timetable that works for everyone.
Read moreThe research library
All research articles.
Browse the full collection, from the latest answers to earlier articles. Find a topic, check when it was verified and follow the evidence.
← Research overview
Getting filters ready. The topic and page links below still work.
Search titles and summaries, or choose a topic. Counts reflect the applied search. Choosing Apply filters puts your search in the page address, browser history and website request. Avoid personal or health information.
Showing 1 to 6 of 6 articles · Most recently verified first
Clear filtersDo massage guns help after a workout?
Last verified
Massage guns may feel useful after training, but the research does not support every recovery claim. Here is what the evidence can and cannot tell us.
Read moreIs a vibration plate worth it?
Last verified
Worth it for a narrow group: older adults, above all women past menopause, following a set routine for spine bone density and leg function. Reviews find those benefits but no effect on body fat or muscle. It will not build fitness or burn fat for a healthy younger person.
Read moreIs an ab stimulator belt worth it?
Last verified
No, not for the reason it is sold. An electric current can add a little trunk strength and muscle size in small studies, but a review found no effect on body fat. It cannot flatten your stomach or bring out abs, because that depends on losing fat, which the belt does not do.
Read moreIs an elevation training mask worth it?
Last verified
No. Controlled trials show the mask does not mimic altitude: it does not raise how much oxygen your blood carries or beat ordinary interval training, and in one trial wearing it made people stop sooner from breathlessness. At most it works the breathing muscles.
Read moreIs blood flow restriction training worth it?
Last verified
Blood flow restriction is not a self-directed workaround for painful or injured joints. Potential training benefits need to be considered alongside individual screening, appropriate prescription and unresolved safety questions.
Read more