1. Avoid Heel Strike
Many beginner runners ask me how they should be running. Running training should be focused on 1 of 2 things: 1) injury prevention or 2) performance. So the main purpose of this post is to focus on injury prevention and treatment. So I promote runners to avoid a heel strike and to try more of a mid foot strike when running with pain or recovering from an injury. Landing with a midfoot strike has been associated with decreases in peak impact loads and a decrease in knee pain (patellar-femoral symptoms). Below is a diagram from a breakthrough article in Nature that shows landing forces with different striking patterns.
Notice the lack of the sharp increase spike with a mid foot strike. One of the main points to take away from the article is the decrease in force and lack of transient impact with strike with a mid foot strike. This difference and benefit of barefoot vs shod running is for another post, but these two articles show great evidence to help support a mid foot strike to help prevent injury and decrease impact forces to the legs. I personally tried this and loved the way it feels when running vs with a heel strike. Tune in next week for Tip #2!!! For more information about running injuries, our Running Injury Program, and about Pursuit Physical Therapy, call us at 407-494-8835 or visit us at PursuitTherapy.com. Exercise is medicine!
Regards,
Ron Miller, DPT OCS
These tips are really worthy. These can give the pain free running and tell about the importance of the correct postures while running or exercising.
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