# University of Texas at Austin: foot-stiffening socks cut walking energy use by 2% in a 12-person test

- Published: 2026-11-15 14:11 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Sport & health
- Tags: foot-stiffening socks, walking energy expenditure, medial longitudinal arch, metabolic rate reduction, forefoot splay, human foot evolution, treadmill study, Proceedings of the Royal Society B
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-69fd48175d49e7b85040783b_university_of_texas/

**A knitted band around the ball of the foot stiffened the arch by 65% and lowered metabolic rate by 2% versus ordinary socks in a small treadmill trial. The test also bears on why human feet are stiff.**

![University of Texas at Austin: foot-stiffening socks cut walking energy use by 2% in a 12-person test](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/25193825ba44fc05.webp)
*sciencealert.com*

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have made a prototype sock that squeezes the ball of the foot and stiffens the arch. According to sciencealert.com, in a treadmill test it lowered whole-body energy expenditure during walking by 2% compared with commercial socks [1]. The work was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

The study involved 12 healthy participants with an average age of 28. Each walked on a treadmill in 5-minute sessions, wearing the custom socks and ordinary pairs. Energy expenditure was calculated from breath measurements: the oxygen inhaled and the carbon dioxide exhaled [1].

## How the sock works

The tight knitted band around the ball of the foot is designed to prevent forefoot splay, the widening of the foot under load. The authors report that the socks applied more pressure to the forefoot than commercial socks, which increased stiffness of the medial longitudinal arch through cross-axis coupling [1]. The longitudinal stiffness of the arch rose by 65%, while the foot could still bend and push off at the end of each step [1].

The researchers compare the 2% reduction in metabolic rate to removing a 2-kilogram (4.4-pound) weight from the waist [1].

## Why a stiffer foot saves energy

According to the authors, a stiffer foot does more mechanical work per step, so leg muscles need to do less work to sustain steady walking. The calf muscles pushed with slightly more force but contracted more slowly, which used less energy overall. The researchers liken this to shifting to a higher gear on a bicycle [1].

Earlier attempts with rigid shoe insoles and arch supports did not reduce energy use [1]. The authors note that rigid shoes cannot lower metabolic rate at realistic walking speeds, and that exoskeletons are expensive and hard to use in daily life [1].

The original goal was to test a hypothesis from human evolution: human feet are stiffer than those of other primates, and one leading theory holds that this makes upright walking less costly. The results support that idea [1]. A patent application for the sock design has already been filed [1].

## Sources

1. [sciencealert.com](https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-developed-foot-stiffening-socks-that-could-make-walking-less-tiring)
2. [ua.news](https://ua.news/en/dovkolo-svitu/shkarpetki-dlia-zhorstkishoyi-stopi-znizili-vitrati-energiyi-na-2-sciencealert)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-69fd48175d49e7b85040783b_university_of_texas/