Is Heel Strike Bad for the Heel?

Is Heel Strike Bad for the Heel?

Landing with a heel strike when running is bad for the heel because the heel is the first part of the foot to contact the ground. This is when impact is most intense and damaging on the heel (even when running shoes with thick padded heels are worn) and why heel injuries are very common in heel strike runners. This is not the case in forefoot 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.
Bretta Riches