Heel Kick When You Run May Not Be so Bad After All
If you hit the ground with your heel first while running, then you are hitting the heel. You may have heard that this is bad, but don’t rush to change your running mode just yet.
While we usually switch to a forefoot (tiptoe) or midfoot kick when sprinting, most runners opt for a heel kick for a slower, longer run. Research has shown that the few runners who use midfoot strikes over distance are less prone to injury, but Competitor’s Dr. Thomas Michaud points out that the midfoot runners in this famous study were people who naturally chose midfoot strikes. If you are already using a heel kick, forcing yourself to switch to a midfoot kick may not help.
Each type of kick has its own pros and cons. Michaud writes:
Because impact patterns in the midfoot significantly reduce knee stress, they should be considered for all runners with recurrent knee pain. This is especially true for faster runners with wide forelegs and flexible Achilles tendons. Conversely, runners with injuries to the Achilles tendon, forefoot, and / or plantar fascia should almost always make contact with the outside of the heel because, contrary to the opinion of many running experts, hitting the first heel is safe and effective. Ninety-five percent of runners who naturally choose a heel kick pattern cannot be wrong.
Read the full Competitor article to learn more about researching kick patterns and the pros and cons of each type.
Is it harmful to hit with the heel while running? | Competitor
Photo by Chris Hankeler .