Should you heel strike when running? Well, here’s the thing. Heel strike runners need extra underfoot protection because they produce more impact forces than forefoot runners. Also, abnormal foot motions and postures during the touchdown and stance phases of running are typically more common in heel strikers than in forefoot runners. Its for these reasons that heel strike runners are often prescribed stability running shoes with thick cushioning. However, a long line of research is showing that such footwear are not fully effective at reducing all the stressors produced in heel strike running, whereas the body seems to be more protected from such assaults by simply adopting the forefoot running technique. Continue reading 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.
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