One of the main reasons heel striking is so bad for running is it produces a long list of impact forces that directly causes most running injuries. One form of impact thats highly injurious produced in heel strike running, but not in forefoot running, is known as a stress-wave. This stress-wave was found to overload the lower leg, including the knee, by 50%-90%! 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)
- Forefoot Running and Achilles Pain - 19/04/2024
- Does Foot Strike Really Matter in Running? YES! - 17/04/2024
- Heel Lifts Increase Injury in Runners - 16/04/2024