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!
Bretta Riches
"I believe the forefoot strike is the engine of endurance running..."
BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.
Latest posts by Bretta Riches (see all)
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