Running with a band between your feet might sound ridiculous, but it could make you noticeably more efficient. In a Stanford-led study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers found that this silly-looking setup helped runners use about six per cent less energy. Is it a trick worth trying? Here’s what you need to know.
Mechanical engineer Elliot Hawkes, now at the University of Calif., Santa Barbara, first had the idea while biking past a running track in San Francisco, as reported in science news outlet phys.org. Watching runners push through their strides, he noticed how much energy seemed to be lost with each step. That sparked a question: could a basic piece of stretchy tubing—like surgical resistance banding—make running more efficient?
A literal spring in your step
To reduce the effort it takes to swing the legs while running, Hawkes and his team tested a simple setup using a short piece of surgical tubing, clipped between runners’ shoes. This “exotendon” worked like a spring, storing and returning energy with each stride, much like the tendons in a cheetah’s legs.
Before bringing it to the track, the researchers measured how much energy the band could return in a lab test. Stretched from 30 to 70 centimeters and attached to a weight, the band rebounded with 97 per cent efficiency—remarkable for such an everyday material. Once runners tried it, the benefits became clear. With less muscular effort needed to move their legs, they naturally adopted quicker, lighter steps, improving efficiency without any change in form or conscious effort.
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One small band for big gains
In total, 19 healthy young adults took part in the study. None had injuries or conditions that might interfere with their stride. While the setup looked strange, the adaptation was nearly instant—not only did runners avoid tripping or tangling, but they also showed an average 6.4 per cent improvement in efficiency. According to Hawkes, the band also made it easier to bounce off the ground during each footstrike, which is a major source of energy loss in running.
Before you try it
The version used in the study was cut to about a quarter of each runner’s leg length—short enough to stay clear of tangles, long enough not to snap. The tests were all done on flat, paved surfaces, and the effect didn’t seem to stick after the band came off. In other words, this isn’t a training tool that teaches better form; it’s more like an assistive gadget. You won’t be wearing it as you chase your half-marathon PB. Still, for anyone curious, it might be worth experimenting. As Hawkes put it, “Someone compared it to an electric bicycle, where you just go faster, so it’s fun.”
