Heel Strike – The worst form of running?

Considering running is something we’ve done for millions of years it’s amazing to think that year after year there are ‘improved’ running shoes, new theories on form (forefoot vs. midfoot vs. heel strike), and a variety of other topics without an undisputed gold standard that everyone can adhere to.

Heel striking has got a bad rep over the last decade or so with many people arguing that it’s less efficient and leaves runners more prone to injury. Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish outright fact from general consensus. Then on top of that, it’s also difficult to know what to do assuming you are bought into the general consensus.

As always, it’s best to read the underlying studies yourself and come to a decision as to whether a change in strike could benefit you. And if you feel it would benefit you, is it more beneficial than other changes (e.g. versus step rate or stride length improvements).

Some studies for you to read:

• Many ultramarathon runners use a heel strike (referred to as ‘Rear Foot Strike’ or RFS). Among the 20 finishers at a 161km event there was little correlation between strike type, but a high correlation between performance and step rate and stride length.
• This study on unshod runners (i.e. runners not using modern footwear) found that among 38 runners the strike varied with speed. Put another way many runners would run with a heel strike at lower speeds and mid- or forefoot strike at higher speeds. Another study (on a different population) found the opposite to be true.
• The barefoot running movement at harvard believes a heel strike produces a much higher impact upon striking than a more forward strike pattern. This is based on a number of studies they’ve done, so you can check out their website.
• In a study of elite half marathon runners (283 runners) the majority used a heel strike (~75%). However at the pointy end of the field (the top 50) the % of heel strikers came down to 62%.

There are hundreds of studies out there. I am by no means an authority as I’m not a research profressional, but my interpretations of everything I have read:

• Many people heel strike and have issues. Many people mid- or forefoot strike and have issues.
• Many studies are on a small number of people and are a one-time snapshot of data, making it difficult to infer causation of a single factor.

In my n=1 experiement (on myself) I have seen a positive impact on performance and reducing injury whilst actively changing my strike from heel to midfoot, however it is difficult to strip this one change versus the other changes I also made (increased focus on overall technique, stretching, myofascial release, allowing more time to adapt to volume changes, etc). I had been plagued with plantar fascitiis for about 18-24 months and since making all though changes I’m in a much better place.

So in a twist and refusing to answer my own question in the title, for uninjured runners I’d say it’s more important to look at these factors before even worrying about strike:

• Am I overstriding? (I.e. my foot is striking ahead of my body, regardless of strike type)
• Is my step rate nice and high (90 steps per foot per minute)?
• Can I improve my stride length? (Not by overstriding, but by recruiting more muscles to increase the distance per stride).
• Are my hamstrings and calves tight? Unless you’re very flexible in these areas compared to high-performing friends, you’d probably benefit from stretching these muscles.
• If you perform myofascial release (e.g. with a foam roller) is it agonizingly painful? If so, you’d probably benefit from doing some more of this, or seeing a physiotherapist to understand if there is an issue.
• Are you running a variety of intensity levels throughout your training block? Mix it up to keep adapting.
• How’s your form? This is difficult to self-diagnose but often there might be basic form issues you need to address.
• Can I reduce the amount of contact time per stride?

If after looking at these things you have done all you can and reach a plateau, then consider the strike factor. For injured athletes, get a reputable sports physio or doctor to help determine if changing strike is a worthwhile change to experiment with. I have a non-invasive running test I do regularly (run at 150bpm on a treadmill at 0% and see what the speed comes out to) and found that my performance was improving while I changed strike pattern. However these were coupled with a number of other changes:

• Gradually adding speed work into my running routine (I hadn’t had the confidence to do speed work for 2 years due to plantar-fascitiis).
• Added a specific injury-prevention plan into most of my sessions.
• Increased form drills before most runs (dynamic warm-ups such as donkey kicks, high knees, butt kicks, etc).
• Over time increased the strength of my kick and having my foot higher during the recovery phase of my gait (I believe most studies show it to be more efficient).

It’s hard to attribute the positive changes to one of those. So in conclusion, finally, yeah, do the research lard-ass, and make up your own mind. If you decide to change strike here are some tips that I found useful when making the transition:

• Find a quiet time of year to make the change. It’s a big change and took me 3-6 months to adapt and even now I haven’t tested the change beyond a half marathon race. For all I know I may revert to a heel strike on the second half or a marathon.
• Dramatically reduce your running volume. Let’s say you’re doing 8 hours of running a week, don’t try running all 8 hours with your new strike. You’ll be at high risk of overloading muscle groups that will be newly recruited to support the changed running gait. Also, don’t run 7 hours on your old form, and then 1 hour on your new form. It’ll just take you much longer to adapt, if you manage to adapt at all.
• With the above point in mind, only run with your changed gait. If you want to keep up the overall volume, throw in some cycling, swimming, hiking, weight lifting, etc. For runners-only types this also becomes a risk if you go from zero hours to 7 hours in some new sport. For triathletes, it’s an opportunity to improve the swim or bike.
• Doing shorter runs on minimalist or track shoes helped increase proprioception of my new running gait and feel the difference if my form started to disintegrate.
• Don’t be afraid to sign up to short distance races and try to use your new form. Just be prepared to walk to recover if your form starts falling apart.
• Keep an eye on muscle tightness and incorporate strength exercises where appropriate. In the beginning my calves would be burning after just a short run (I couldn’t even do 5k anywhere near race pace without my calves complaining). It may seem counter-intuitive once you’re calves are already tired from running, but I added calf raises (both weighted and unweighted) into my strength routine.