A new study that analyzed injury likelihood between forefoot strike running patterns and heel-strike running patterns found some interesting results about the oftentimes controversial topic.
For the study, researchers examined both running techniques in terms of injury rates, running economy and overall stride biomechanics, and their work reviewed 53 previous studies on the techniques. One of the main conclusions they drew was that running with a forefoot running pattern was linked to lower reported rates of mild and severe repetitive stress injuries, but overall injuries weren’t reduced. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone should be switching to the forefoot strike pattern, because they also found that when heel-strike runners switched to a forefoot strike pattern, their running economy decreased.
“Our comprehensive review suggests that telling someone to run on the ball of their foot instead of their heel may make them less efficient, at least in the short term. Additionally, there is no evidence either way on whether running on the balls of your feet reduces injury,” said study lead author Dr. Christian Barton.
Injury Risk Shifted, Not Reduced
Dr. Barton also noted that while one type of running pattern may help avoid injuries to one area of your body, it may increase your risk of an injury to another area compared to a different running technique.
“Running toe-heel might help injuries at the knee, where loads are reduced. However, it may cause injuries to the feet and ankle, where loads are increased,” said Dr. Barton.
Essentially, the team concluded that runners should stick to what’s working for them. If you’re comfortable with a heel-strike running pattern, don’t worry about switching things up just to try to avoid injuries. Dr. Barton had an even more straightforward message when talking about the idea of changing running patterns, saying, “When it comes to running style: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
At the end of the day, if you’re comfortable with your stride, stick with it. Changing it when it’s not causing problems seems like it has the potential to do more harm than good. But if you are dealing with injuries because of your stride and biomechanics, we’d be happy to help you make a smooth transition from one running pattern to another.
