Studies consistently point to heel striking when running as a major risk factor for hip injury because landing heel-first comes with mechanical outputs that keep impact loads too high on the hips as well as the knees as compared with forefoot running.
Unlike cushioned running shoes which were consistently found to cause more rigid heel strike landings and inappropriate joint loading, especially at the knee, the sensory input when you run barefoot translates into more fast-changing improvements, allowing you to use your leg swing and forefoot strike mechanics as functionally and safely as possible, while helping the feet build more strength and resilience against tough training. This is why barefoot running should be done in the first instance because the ground-feel is the only way to enhance the motor commands for low impact running.
There are major differences between minimalist and normal running shoes which include the barefoot-feel of minimalist running shoes were found to do a better job at increasing the likelihood of avoiding a force intensive-heel strike, and instead, encourages a forefoot strike landing tied to significantly lower instantaneous loading and vertical impact peaks as compared to normal cushioned running shoes.
The safest, most efficient way to run uphill is to land with a forefoot strike because it was found to do a better job at improving the position of both initial foot strike position and your upper body posture in ways that greatly reduces the opposing forces linked to most common running-related injuries as compared with heel striking.
Heel strike running was found to be not only incredibly injurious on even grounds, it was found to dramatically increase eccentrc loading and mechanical demands on the foot and leg, but especially the knee was found to be most sensitive to injury when landing heel-first when running uphill.
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