{"id":8267,"date":"2023-10-21T15:19:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T08:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8267"},"modified":"2023-10-21T15:19:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T08:19:26","slug":"is-heel-striking-really-so-bad-for-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8267","title":{"rendered":"Is Heel Striking Really So Bad for Runners?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>f you\u2019ve ever spent an inordinate amount of money after running a race to purchase pictures of yourself taken on the course, you\u2019ve probably noticed shots of yourself landing heel first, ankle slightly flexed as your foot approaches the ground.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s, at least, if you\u2019re one of the over 90 percent of all runners (including a significant portion of elite runners!) who heel strike.<\/p>\n<p>As common as it is, heel striking gets a bad rap. Proponents of barefoot running and fans of Christopher McDougall\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrismcdougall.com\/born-to-run\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.chrismcdougall.com\/born-to-run\/\"><em>Born to Run<\/em><\/a> book and philosophy often argue that landing heel first puts runners at greater risk of injury, and that it\u2019s less efficient. This idea has made its way onto runfluencer social media, where switching from a heel strike to a mid or forefoot strike is sometimes presented as being as simple as just flipping a switch. (Spoiler alert: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/running-form\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/running-form\/\">It\u2019s not<\/a>.) There are even shoes that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/antepes-muscle-runner\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/antepes-muscle-runner\/\">claim to promote forefoot striking<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But can something that comes naturally to more than 90 percent of all runners really be that bad?<\/p>\n<h2>Why we heel strike<\/h2>\n<p>The difference between a heel-striker and a forefoot-striker isn\u2019t just which part of the foot touches the ground first. Where you land on your foot actually determines how you are dissipating ground reaction forces, and what muscle groups you\u2019re using, says <a href=\"https:\/\/runcoachpt.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/runcoachpt.com\/\">Kimberly Melvan, DPT, SCS, CSCS<\/a>, a physical therapist and running coach. Heel strikers, for example, use more muscles around the knee as well as the tibialis anterior muscle that runs along the shin, whereas forefoot strikers use more muscles in the ankle and the foot.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/heel-striking-running\/\" current-title=\"Actually, Heel Striking Isn\u2019t Really So Bad for Runners After All\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-heel-striking-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-04-20\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/heel-striking-running\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/heel-striking-running\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/heel-striking-running\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Usually, how we strike the ground is just a matter of habit, and what feels most natural to us, says <a href=\"https:\/\/nyulangone.org\/locations\/sports-performance-center\/sports-performance-center-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/nyulangone.org\/locations\/sports-performance-center\/sports-performance-center-team\">Heather Milton, MS, RCEP, CSCS,<\/a> an exercise physiologist at NYU Langone\u2019s Sports Performance Center. The rise of highly-cushioned running shoes has likely only made heel striking even more common, though, says Dr. Melvan, since all that cushion in the heel makes it easier for that part of the foot to land first since it absorbs the shock.<\/p>\n<h2>Is heel striking really so bad?<\/h2>\n<p>Forefoot-striking evangelists claim that it is both more efficient and safer than landing on the heel. While experts are divided about whether any one foot strike causes more injuries than another, it is true that landing on the forefoot generally leads to a more powerful stride than landing on the heel.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s because heel striking is usually linked to overstriding, or stepping too far out in front of your body. \u201cYou have to expend so much energy to then get your body over your center of mass,\u201d says Dr. Melvan. \u201cThe vertical loading rates\u2014those up-and-down movements\u2014are also higher when you heel strike, so it\u2019s just not as energy-efficient.\u201d Both heel striking and overstriding usually also come with a lower, less efficient <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/ideal-running-cadence\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/ideal-running-cadence\/\">cadence<\/a>, or turnover.<\/p>\n<p>There are some catches, though. While forefoot striking is more efficient than heel striking, all else being equal, running in a way that doesn\u2019t feel natural to you and that your muscles aren\u2019t accustomed to isn\u2019t going to feel efficient at all\u2014in fact, trying to forefoot strike when you typically heel strike will likely mean your legs will tire much more quickly than usual. Plus, on days when you\u2019re trying to run slow (and yes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-slow-jogging\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-slow-jogging\/\">you should have these days<\/a>!), it can be difficult to maintain a forefoot strike while keeping your pace easy.<\/p>\n<p>And none of this means that you can\u2019t run fast while heel striking. Some elite runners heel strike, and even more transition to heel striking at the end of a long race like a marathon. \u201cYou can still maintain pretty high paces if you\u2019re a heel striker,\u201d says Milton, \u201cas long as you don\u2019t have high braking forces\u201d (meaning, as long as you\u2019re not overstriding too much).<\/p>\n<p>There are potential injury risks that come with heel striking, especially when runners are also landing with a straight leg. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t allow the muscles to absorb the increased force from the heel strike and the overstriding, and that means the joints are absorbing that force,\u201d says Milton. Possible issues include stress fractures, IT band syndrome, anterior knee pain, and shin splints.<\/p>\n<p>But running injuries are almost always multifactorial, says Milton, and even if you could magically change your footstrike overnight, it wouldn\u2019t necessarily mean that nagging pain would just go away. Plus, forefoot striking can come with its own set of injury risks, like Achilles overuse and metatarsalgia.<\/p>\n<h2>How to know if your foot strike is a problem<\/h2>\n<p>Unless you see a picture of yourself running, you may not even notice whether or not you heel strike. If seeing a running coach or a physical therapist aren\u2019t options, here are a few easy ways to tell on your own: Check out the wear pattern on the bottom of your shoes to see if the heel is more worn down, or have a friend take a video of you running from the side, and watch it back in slow motion. Dr. Melvan recommends the apps <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dartfish.com\/mobile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.dartfish.com\/mobile\">Dartfish<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ochy.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ochy.io\/\">Ochy<\/a> that can help analyze your running form from a video.<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s good to be aware of your footstrike, there\u2019s probably no need to try to change it unless it seems to be causing you pain. \u201cIt\u2019s that old adage: If it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it,\u201d says Dr. Melvan. If you are having pain\u2014especially shin splints or knee issues\u2014it could be related to how you\u2019re landing, and it\u2019s best to seek expert help. But even then, it\u2019s probably not just a matter of learning to land on the front of your foot, says Dr. Melvan, as there could be other issues at play, and trying to change your form prematurely without proper strengthening could lead to even more muscle imbalance and pain. \u201cThe overall goal isn\u2019t to fix it, it\u2019s to fix the other things that in combination would lead to more risk for injury,\u201d says Milton.<\/p>\n<p>Having big running goals and a serious commitment to getting faster is another good reason to consider working on making your form more efficient, but again, it\u2019s not just a matter of deciding to forefoot strike. Instead, says Dr. Melvan, a runner would likely work on increasing their cadence, allowing the foot strike to evolve naturally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you want to be faster, maybe it\u2019s something you want to consider,\u201d says Dr. Melvan. \u201cBut if you\u2019re someone who just likes to put on your shoes and go out for a run, who cares? If you enjoy it, you\u2019re having fun, you\u2019re not getting hurt, I don\u2019t think it matters what your [foot] strike pattern is.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever spent an inordinate amount of money after running a race to purchase pictures of yourself taken on the course, you\u2019ve probably noticed shots of yourself landing heel first, ankle slightly flexed as your foot approaches the ground. That\u2019s, at least, if you\u2019re one of the over 90 percent of all runners (including &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}