Is There A Correct Footstrike Method?

Photo by Dulcey Lima on Unsplash

There is much controversy about the proper footfall when running. Some experts say it’s best to land on your forefoot. Other experts say you should land on your midfoot. And while not many experts say it’s OK to land on your heel, some experts say that heel striking really isn’t so bad.

I am currently reading a book titled, The Lost Art of Running by Shane Benzie and Tim Major. Benzie is a running coach whose expertise is running form. In his book, he writes about every aspect of running form but I am particularly interested in what he has to say about foot strike. I’ll get to his theory on foot strike shortly but I want to start by reviewing what other running experts have to say about foot strike.

Heel Striking Found to be OK

Landing on your heels has always been considered the wrong way to land while running. According to an article on RoadRunnerSports.com’s website, rearfoot striking, or heel striking, is the most metabolically efficient of the foot strikes.

I have always read heel strikers are more prone to injury, but this article states that heel strikers are actually less prone to injury because the shock of the foot strike is absorbed by the knees rather than the ankles. The argument is knees are generally stronger.