Forefoot vs Heel strike

It is generally accepted within the running community that the proper foot strike when running is a forefoot (or midfoot) strike, and that heel striking should be avoided.

But why??

Here’s a simplified explanation to help you understand the importance of the foot strike and how it can affect your running efficiency and your susceptibility to injury.

Heel strike:

• When heel striking, the foot lands ahead of the body’s centre of gravity. This almost creates a « braking » phase, which is followed by a « pulling » phase before the push-off phase. This shift in the body’s centre of mass is more energy-consuming, and therefore less efficient.
• the knee is often more extended (straight) decreasing the body’s ability to absorb the shock of landing. The more the knee is extended, the more impact is transmitted into areas of the body such as the shins, knees, hips and lower back.
• the posterior chain (including the calf muscles, hamstrings and glutes) are in a lengthened position making it harder for them to activate and absorb the shock of landing. Therefore, a heel strike puts a lot more stress on the joints since the muscles protecting those joints aren’t ready to react.

Forefoot/Midfoot strike:

• When forefoot/midfoot striking, the foot lands closer to the body’s centre of gravity. This allows the muscles of the posterior chain (including the calf muscles, hamstrings and glutes) to harness the kinetic energy during the landing phase and use it to push-off without an unnecessary shift of body mass, therefore making it more efficient.
• the knee is often more flexed (bent) allowing the body to more easily absorb the shock of landing. This, in turn, decreases the amount of stress transmitted to the shins, knees, hips and lower back.
• the posterior chain (including the calf muscles, hamstrings and glutes) are automatically activated, allowing them to absorb the shock of landing and decrease stress on the joints/areas mentioned above.

Now that I understand the importance of the foot strike, what’s next? Am I supposed to consciously think about landing on the front/middle of my foot?

The short answer is no. The more conscious your running intervention, the more you increase your risk of injury. The less natural the intervention feels, the harder your muscles have to work and the greater your chances of over-stressing those tissues.

But then how do I change my foot strike?

Stay tuned for different interventions that can help change your foot strike!