Heel strike running is most damaging to the shins whereas forefoot running safeguards the shins the most. This is because forefoot striking aligns the shin more vertically at touchdown. This was found to significantly reduce impact shock accelerations on multiple sites of the shin as compared with heel strike running, which angulates the shin away from the body at touchdown which increases shock acceleration to fracture-inducing levels on the shin. Knowing this has important implications for how we think about foot strike pattern in running in that forefoot running has consistently been found to do more to significantly limit mechanical stress on the lower leg than heel strike running. Read more here!
