Running Tips – Forefoot Running - The Osteopathic Centre

The term forefoot running refers to the part of the foot that first strikes the ground as the lead leg comes in contact with the ground during the running gait. ArticleDetail RunningTips–ForefootRunning ForefootOrHeelRunning? Introduction Forefootrunningisbecomingmoreandmorepopular.Itisportrayedbymanyastheholygrailofrunning.Lotsofcoachesandrunningmagazinesarenowadvocatingthistechnique.Manyofthebigshoemanufacturershavebroughtouttheirversionofbarefootrunningshoeswhichtheyclaimtoencourageforefootrunning.Proponentsofthisstyleofrunningclaimthatitismorenaturalandefficient,leadingtobetterruntimesandalowerriskofinjury. Formanyrunners,thisinformationisconfusingbecauseforyearswehavebeentoldthatifyou’readistancerunner,thenheelstrikingisthecorrectmethod.Manyofmypatientsaskme:“ShouldIheelstrikeorforefootrun?” Whatisforefootrunning? Thetermforefootrunningreferstothepartofthefootthatfirststrikesthegroundastheleadlegcomesincontactwiththegroundduringtherunninggait.Traditionally,distancerunnershavebeentaughttolandontheirheel. Thisisknownasaheelstrikerunning.Forefootrunningtendstocauseashorterstridelengthalongwithahighercadenceandplaceslessimpactonthekneebutmoreonthecalfandankle. HowshouldIrun? Thereisverylittlescientificevidenceeitherfororagainstforefootrunning.Onestudycomparedthenumberofrunnersthatwereheelstrikerswiththenumberofmidfootandforefootrunnersduringthe2004SapporoInternationalHalfMarathoninJapan.1Theyfoundthat75%oftheeliterunnerswereheelstrikers,24%midfoot,andonly1%landontheirforefoot. Thepercentageofforefootstrikersdidincreaseinthefastestrunnergroupbuteventhentherewasafargreaterpercentageofheelstrikerscomparedtomidfootrunners.Thisstudywouldsuggestthatforsomepeople,midfootrunningmaybethemoreefficientstylebutforefootrunningisveryunlikelytoresultingoodruntimes. Thereisnoevidenceofheelstrikersbeingmoreorlesspronetoinjury.However,onestudydiddemonstratethatlessforceisplacedonthekneeduringforefootrunning,whilegreaterforceisplacedonthefootandankle.1 Inmyview,youhavetofindoutwhatworksforyou.Peoplearealldifferent.Somehavelonglegsandshortbodies.Somehaveshortlowerlegsandlongthighsandothersviceversa.Forthisreason,somepeoplemaybebettersuitedtoforefootrunningwhilstothersmaybebettersuitedtoheelstriking.Ifyouareanexperiencedrunner,Ilikethemotto“ifit’snotbroken,don’tfixit”.Ifyouarerunninginjury-freeandyouchangeyourrunningstyle,youmaybeincreasingtheriskofinjury.Ifyouarenewtorunning,dowhatfeelsrightforyou. Herearesometipsthatapplytoallrunners: •Yourfeetshouldmakeminimalnoisewhenyourun •Youshouldnothearaskiddingsoundasyourfootstrikestheground •Trynottobouncetoohighwhenyouarerunning;mostofyourenergyshouldbeusedtopropelyouforwardnotupward. Possiblebenefitsofforefootrunning Forefootrunningwouldnormallydecreasetheloadplacedonthekneesduringrunning.Ifyousufferfromalonghistoryofkneepainduetorunningandyouareaheelstriker,thenforefootrunningmaybethesolutionforyou.Ontheotherhand,youmayjustbeshiftingaproblemfromonepartofthebodytoanother.Myadvicewouldbetotryothersolutionsfirst,suchasosteopathictreatmentandifthesedon’twork,thentrychangingyourrunningtechniquetoforefootrunningasalastresort.     Adviceforpeopletakingupforefootrunning Ifyouhavedecidedthatyouwouldliketogiveforefootrunningago,rememberthesetwowords:gradualandstretch.TominimizetheriskoffootorAchillestendoninjury,youneedtochangeyourrunningstyleslowlyovertime.Thiswillgivethestructuresinthefootandankletimetobecomestrongerandbetterabletowithstandthenewgreaterforcesplacedonthem. Dotoomuchtoosoonandyourtissuesmaybecomestrainedresultingininjury.Thesameadviceappliestotheuseofbarefootrunningshoes.Ifyoudowishtoruninsuchshoes,tryamaximumoftwoshortrunsaweekinitially.Graduallylengthentheseruns;intimeyoushouldbeabletowearyournewshoesevenforyourlongerruns. Forefootrunningincreasestheworkdonebyyourcalfmuscles.Asaresult,theymaystiffenupandlosetheirelasticity.ThiscanresultinhigherloadsabsorbedbytheAchillestendonandthebonesofthefeet,leadingtoahigherriskofAchillestendonitisandstressfracturesoftheshinboneandsmallerbonesinthefeet. Particularlyintheearlystagesofforefootrunning,itisstronglyadvisabletoperformextrastretchingofthecalfmuscles.Seestretchesexamples. Iwouldsuggestthatyoustretchthesemusclesevenondaysthatyouarenottraining. Conclusion Thereisnoonegoldstandardinrunning.Whatmayberightforyourfriendmayormaynotberightforyou?Formostofus,itwouldappearthatheelstrikingismostlikelytobetheoptimalmethodofrunninglongdistances.Forsome,midfootrunningmaybebetterbutforefootrunningisveryunlikelytobetheanswer.Fromascientificstandpoint,wejustdon’tknowforsurewhatthebestmethodofrunningis. Muchmoreresearchisneededbeforethisquestioncanbeansweredwithconfidence.Ifyoudodecidetoswitchfromheelstrikerunningtoforefootormidfootrunning,dosocautiouslyandgradually.Whateverstyleofrunningyoudo,itisimportanttostretchregularlyandmakeincreasesintraininggraduallyovertime. Makeanappointmenthere https://www.theosteo.com.sg/appointment CallUsatTheOsteopathicCentreon62214064 SeemorearticlesonourInstagrampagehere https://www.instagram.com/the_osteopathic_centre_sg/  Downloadarticleinaprintableformat here   Central CityCBD EastCoast Pleasestiltyourdeviceviewinportraitmodeforbetterview Itsok.Letscontinueinthismode. × Modaltitle