Heel Strike, Midfoot, and Forefoot Running: What Matters?

Forefoot runners land on the ball of their foot or on their toes. As they stride, their heel may not hit the ground at all. This stride can ... 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rikegradually.Itmayfeelstrangeatfirsttopurposefullylandinthecenterortheballsofyourfeet.Startwithshortrunsforafewminutesatatimewhereyouconsciouslyswitchupyourrunningtechnique.GraduallyincreasethetimespentonanewfootstrikeIncreasetheamountoftimespentrunninginyournewpositionbyjust5minutesaday.Eventually,youmayfindyourselfrunningthiswaywithoutathought.GetadvicefromaproIfyoufindyourselfgettinginjuredoftenandareconcernedaboutswitchingupyourfootstrike,speaktoapodiatristorarunningcoach.Theycanwatchyourunanddetermineifit’snecessaryforyoutochangeuphowyoustriketheground.Theycanalsooffermoretipsforinjuryprevention.RunningtipsWhateverstrikepatternyoufollow,belowaresomehelpfultipstomakesureyou’rerunningasefficientlyaspossible.PracticedrillsPerformsomedrillsasashort5-minutewarmupbeforerunning.Someexamplesofdrillsinclude:marchinghigh-kneesside-shufflesrunningbackwardsskipsThesedrillsmayhelpbecauseyouwilllandmidfootorfront-footandgetafeelforthepositioning.RunbarefootTryrunningbarefootinthegrassorothersoftsurface.Youwilllikelyfeeloutyournaturalstridewithoutashoe,gettingabetterideaofhowyoucanrunyourbest.MakechangesgraduallyAnychangestoyourrunningformshouldbedonegradually.Slowlyincreasetheamountoftimeyouchangeupyourformbyafewminuteseachweek.Thiswillhelpyoustayhealthyandinjury-free.ThetakeawayThere’snotalotofevidencebackingupwhyrunnersshouldn’tlandontheirheels.Ifyou’reexperiencingkneepainorotherinjuriesfrequently,switchingupyourfootstrikepositionisonechangeyoucanconsider.Ifyoudochange,makesureyoudososlowlyandgraduallysoyoudon’tstrainonotherpartsofyourlegorfoot.Apodiatrist,physicaltherapist,orrunningcoachcanmakeaplanthat’ssafeandeffectiveforyou.LastmedicallyreviewedonAugust28,20205sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.AndersonLM,etal.(2019).Whatarethebenefitsandrisksassociatedwithchangingfootstrikepatternduringrunning?Asystematicreviewandmeta-analysisofinjury,runningeconomy,andbiomechanics.DOI:10.1007/s40279-019-01238-yDaoudAI,etal.(2012).Footstrikeandinjuryratesinendurancerunners:Aretrospectivestudy.scholar.harvard.edu/files/dlieberman/files/2012b.pdfHamillJ,etal.(2017).Ischangingfootstrikepatternbeneficialtorunners?DOI:10.1016/j.jshs.2017.02.004KasmerME,etal.(2012).Foot-strikepatternandperformanceinamarathon.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4801105/KulmalaJ-P,etal.(2013).Forefootstrikersexhibitlowerrunning-inducedkneeloadingthanrearfootstrikers.DOI:10.1249/mss.0b013e31829efcf7FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyJennehRishe,RN—ByJaneChertoffonAugust28,2020ReadthisnextHowtoMasterProperRunningFormMedicallyreviewedbyDanielBubnis,M.S.,NASM-CPT,NASELevelII-CSSProperrunningformcanhelpyourunfaster,longer,andavoidinjury.We'llgothroughsometipsandtechniquestogetstarted.READMORETipsandStrategiesforStartingaRunningRoutineMedicallyreviewedbyJakeTipane,CPTStartingarunningroutineatanyageneedstobedonegradually.Followingastructuredtrainingplanthatincreasesyourmileageoverseveralweeks…READMOREJumpRopevs.Running:IsOneBetterThantheOther?MedicallyreviewedbyDanielleHildreth,RN,CPTYoumaywonderwhetherjumpingropeorrunningisbetterforyou.Well,thatdepends.Webreakdownthedifferencesincaloriesburned,musclesworked,READMOREThe8BestRunningShoesforMenof2022Hereare10ofthebestrunningshoesformenfordifferentfootneeds,runninggoals,andbudgets—madebybrandsthatrunnershavetrustedfor…READMOREFitbitSenseHands-OnReview:EverythingYouNeedtoKnowMedicallyreviewedbyDanielleHildreth,RN,CPTOurexpertprovidesanhonest,firsthandreviewoftheFitbitSense.Seewhetherthissmartwatchcanhelpyouachieveyourhealthgoals.READMOREADietitian’sPicksofthe10BestCreatineSupplementsof2022ByRachaelLink,MS,RDCreatinesupplementsareoftenusedtoenhanceathleticperformanceandreducemuscledamage.Herearethe10bestcreatinesupplementsfor2022.READMOREFutureFitness2022Review:AVirtualTwistonPersonalTrainingByCatherineCriderFutureFitnessisapersonalizedtrainingappthatmakesiteasierthanevertofindafitnessregimenthatworksforyourlifestyleandgoals.See…READMORE10Minutes?20Seconds?Doesn'tMatter.'Micro-breaks'fromWorkAreHealthyResearcherssaylookingawayfromyourscreenfor20secondsorwalkingaroundthehouseorofficefor10minutesisagoodwaytoboostenergyREADMORE7BenefitsofDoingSquatsandVariationstoTryMedicallyreviewedbyDanielBubnis,M.S.,NASM-CPT,NASELevelII-CSSWhendonecorrectly,squatscanbuildstrengthinyourlowerbodyandcoremuscles,boostyourcalorieburn,helppreventinjuries,andimproveyour…READMORENordicTrackRowersReview:Pros,Cons,Comparison,andMoreMedicallyreviewedbyDanielleHildreth,RN,CPTSeewhatourexpertshavetosayaboutNordicTrackrowersliketheRW600andRW900andhowtheystackupagainstcompetitors.READMORE