Modern racing shoes with rigid embedded plates and highly resilient midsole foam.
AFT refers to a class of racing/running shoes combining a stiff plate (usually carbon-fibre) with thick, high-rebound midsole foam, intended to reduce the energetic cost of running. Evidence links AFT to modest improvements in running economy and race performance, but the magnitude of benefit varies by runner, shoe model, and study design, and mechanisms (energy return vs. leverage/stiffness effects) remain debated. Some appraisals also flag it as a potential confounder when comparing historical and contemporary performance or injury data.
This guide was auto-drafted and is pending editorial review.