Forefoot running is better than heel strike running, especially for your knees! When running, forefoot striking automatically causes the knee to bend and flex, which brings initial foot strike position much closer to your hips (i.e center of mass). The functional and performance advantages of this is it reduces brake time, while raising energy efficiency.
So, what does this mean for the knees?
It means the brake force is so low in forefoot running that the compressive wave responsible for knee injury is actually eliminated, while allowing the foot a firmer hold (because forefoot striking is a larger foot contact area), offsets bending and twisting from cascading up the lower leg to the knee. Read more here about why heel strike running is the worst style of running for the knees, and for the rest of your body!
Bretta Riches
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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