Foot Form and Running Injuries

As reported today in The New York Times, a fascinating study has come out of Harvard in which distance runners and their injuries were studied to determine whether something as basic as foot strike has an impact on running injuries. Dr. Adam Daoud and Dr. Daniel Lieberman, well-known scientist who suggested running guided the evolution of early man, poured through four years’ worth of data of Harvard student athletes who had logged their training and injuries for their coaches.

What is most interesting about this study is the fact that of the 52 (69%) runners studied, 36 ran using a heel strike and 16 (31%) runners ran with a forefoot strike. Those with a habitual heel strike suffered more injuries than their forefoot striking counterparts.

Footwear, differences in mileage, and gender all have a huge affect on repetitive injuries. Does this study suggest that we should all change our form? “If you’re not getting hurt, Dr. Lieberman says, “then absolutely not. If it’s not broke, then don’t fix it.” *

With the increase in forefoot running methods such as the POSE Method, and the minimalist/barefoot movement this is sure to fuel the current debates even more.

* Reynolds, Gretchen. “Does Foot Form Explain Running Injuries?.” The New York Times., 08 Feb 2012. Web. 10 Feb 2012.