Should you change your footstrike pattern? Hamill & Gruber, 2017.
On this episode, Brodie summarizes a paper by Hamill & Gruber titled: Is changing footstrike pattern beneficial to runners?
This is a hot topic for a lot of runners, coaches and health professionals alike, and while this paper may not come to a conclusive statement, it does help bring us up-to-date with the current literature. The verdict might surprise you.
Changing from a heel striker to a forefoot striker has been proposed for decades. The arguments for such a change follows several theories including:
- Changing to a footstrike pattern help running economy.
- Forefoot strike reduces ground reaction forces.
- Changing to a forefoot strike lowers your risk of injuries.
This paper read by Brodie systematically covers all of these theories and highlights the available evidence to see if their claims hold true.
Congratulations on listening to this podcast and starting your run smarter journey. The run smarter podcast is designed to help you build on your knowledge, so you can tackle all your running goals. Hosted by Brodie Sharpe with the mission to ‘bring clarity & control to every injured runner’. Firstly, gain the universal principles every runner needs to know by listening to the first podcast seasons. Secondly, find podcast topics tailored to your specific situation with either Brodie’s solo episodes, or special guest episodes. Lastly, execute on what you learn and transform into a stronger, healthier, SMARTER runner.
Relevant Links:
- Click here to find the Run Smarter App on IOS or Android
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Other podcast episodes:
- Addressing Common Running Misconceptions Part 2: Running Form
- Gait retraining for performance, treatment & prevention with Dr. Izzy Moore
- Running Technique Insight for Injury Prevention & Performance with Chris Bramah
