Super shoes—shoes designed with high-tech foam and carbon plates that promise up to four percent increases in speed—are becoming the norm on the start line of marathons around the world, even for recreational runners. But should student-athletes be training and racing in them?

Here, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s Director of Science, Dr. Laura Lewis, explains what's new in shoe technology and how to evaluate what your young athlete really needs in their sneakers.

Super foams, carbon plates, and new technology

"Super shoes" have been around for a few years now. Typically marketed towards runners, these shoes are made with ultra-light foam compounds with innovative new technology that allows for faster rebound and a bouncier feel that can potentially help an athlete run faster. Carbon plates have been inserted into running shoes designed specifically for race day in order to improve rebound even further and improve performances by full percentage points.

"These shoes really do work to make runners faster," says Lewis. "We know that. But it is important to note that they can't make any person fast; rather, they can make a relatively fast person faster by improving their mechanical efficiency while running."

But these shoes come with a hefty price tag and typically are only good for a couple of races at most before wearing out. And for young athletes, the cost may be even higher, says Lewis.

Do young athletes really need the latest tech?

While it's tempting to automatically hit the 'buy now' button on a pair of shoes that promises a two to four percent increase in speed, it may not be the best purchase for your athlete in the long term, says Lewis. There are a few reasons your athlete likely doesn't need to add super shoes of any type to their shoe closet:

Back to Basics: "Whenever caregivers are trying to add something extra like this for their athlete, I encourage them to step back and reflect," says Lewis. "Is your athlete doing everything else right already? What's their nutrition like? What's their sleep like? What's their recovery like? You can't just put on these fancy shoes and think that they're going to be the missing piece of the puzzle if you're not already taking care of everything else. We should be focusing on the physiology, not the gear."

Foot Development: Some experts are also suggesting that super shoes can actually be harmful to youth athlete foot development—and to date, little research has been done around young athletes and these new technologies. "Because young athletes are still developing the strength in their feet and the musculature of their ankles, if they're not getting the proper support in their shoes or their shoes are doing the work for them, their musculature won't develop as well," Lewis says. "That's a really big consideration: At this age, it's all about developing the foundations to set your athlete up for the rest of their life."

Ethical Considerations: It's also worth reflecting on what kind of person you want your young athlete to be. "There are races where having super shoes might make a difference for a young athlete," Lewis says. "But there is this ethical component to consider: Are we creating unfair advantages in youth sport by having some athletes use these shoes? Running in particular is supposed to be one of the most simplistic, accessible sports out there, but if every athlete suddenly needs these $400 shoes in order to be competitive, that reduces the accessibility of the sport."