The Truth About Footstrikes: Is There Really a "Right" Way to Run?

For you to understand why there is so much noise about "proper" running form, firstly you have to look at how many of us actually get sidelined. Depending on which study you read, nearly 80% of runners deal with an injury every single year. It’s a massive problem, and for decades, the "experts" have pointed the finger at one thing: the way your foot hits the ground.

The debate usually boils down to the "heel strike" versus the "forefoot strike." For years, we’ve been told that landing on your heel is the enemy, but the science is a lot more complicated than that.

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The Three Ways We Land

Most of us land in one of three ways, and it usually depends on what’s on our feet:

• Rearfoot Strike (RFS): This is the classic heel-first landing. About 94% of recreational runners do this. It’s how most modern cushioned shoes, like a Hoka Bondi or Clifton , are designed to work.

• Midfoot Strike (MFS): You land flat. It’s the "neutral" ground where your heel and the ball of your foot touch down together.

• Forefoot Strike (FFS): You land on the balls of your feet. This is often what you see in sprinters or people running barefoot.

The Big Trade-Off: Moving the "Pain" Around

The biggest myth in running is that landing on your forefoot is "safer." It isn't. It’s simply a different way of managing the stress.

Think of it like a budget. When you land on your heel, the impact goes straight through the skeletal chain—your heel bone, your knee, and your hip. This is why heel striking is often linked to "Runner’s Knee" or shin splints.

When you switch to a forefoot strike, you’re essentially "offloading" the knee and asking your muscles and tendons to do the work instead. Your Achilles and your calves act like a massive spring. While this saves your knees, it puts a huge amount of pressure on your lower leg.

The Reality: If you change your strike to save your knees without strengthening your calves first, you aren't fixing the problem—you’re just trading a knee injury for an Achilles tear.

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Quick Comparison: Where Does the Stress Go?

Landing Style	Primary Load Site	Common Risks
Heel Strike	Knee & Tibia (Bone)	Runner's Knee, Stress Fractures
Forefoot Strike	Achilles & Calf (Tissue)	Tendinopathy, Calf Strains

The "Cushioning Paradox"

For years, Hoka has been the king of the "maximalist" shoe. Those big, chunky soles are brilliant for comfort, but they’ve created a bit of a paradox. Because the foam is so soft, it actually encourages us to land on our heels because we can’t "feel" the impact.

Ironically, some research shows that the more cushioning you have, the harder you might actually hit the ground because your brain is trying to find a solid surface. This is why some people find that moving to a slightly firmer, more "grounded" shoe actually helps them run lighter.

Is One Way More Efficient?

If you're looking for a "speed hack," changing your footstrike probably isn't it. For most of us, our "habitual" strike—the way we naturally run—is the most efficient.

When you try to force a different style, your body has to work harder to stabilise itself. Even at the elite level, the majority of marathon runners still land on their heels. Efficiency comes from years of the same movement, not from trying to mimic a "natural" style that doesn't feel right for your body.

If You Do Want to Change, Do It Slowly

If you’ve got chronic knee issues and you’re determined to move away from a heel strike, you have to be patient. We’re talking 20 weeks, not 20 days.

• Build the Foundation: You need to be able to do at least 25 single-leg heel raises with perfect form. If your calves aren't strong enough to support your body weight, a forefoot strike will ruin your Achilles.

• The Cadence Trick: Instead of worrying about your feet, try to increase your "cadence" (steps per minute) by about 5% to 10%. This naturally shortens your stride and makes you land more softly under your body, rather than reaching out in front of you.

• The 10% Rule: Never increase your weekly distance or your "new form" training by more than 10% at a time.

The Final Verdict

There is no "perfect" way to run. The best style is the one that keeps you on the road and out of the physio's office. Don't let the trends tell you that your natural gait is "wrong."

Focus on getting stronger, keep an eye on your step rate, and if you’re not injured, don't try to fix what isn't broken.

If you have decided you need to change running style here are our top 10 tips on full

1. Don't Fix What Isn't Broken

Before you even think about messing with your form, ask yourself: do I actually need to? The best way for you to land is usually the way your body already does it naturally. If you aren't currently injured, the risk of switching—like tearing an Achilles or getting a stress fracture in your foot—is way higher than the benefit. Only consider a change if you’re dealing with chronic knee or hip pain that just won't go away.

2. Strength First, Form Later

You can’t just decide to land on your toes tomorrow if your calves aren't ready for it. Switching to a forefoot strike puts an extra load on your Achilles—we're talking nearly 50 times your body weight for every mile. Before you start, you should be able to do at least 25 single-leg heel raises with perfect form. If you haven't got that strength foundation, you're asking for trouble.

3. Forget Your Feet, Focus on Cadence

Instead of overthinking exactly where your foot touches the floor, just try to take more steps. If you increase your "cadence" (your step rate) by about 5% to 10%, your body does the hard work for you. It naturally shortens your stride so you don't "overstride," which shifts your landing away from the heel without you even trying.

4. Think Months, Not Weeks

Patience is the hardest part of this. To really retrain your brain and your body, you’re looking at an 18 to 22-week timeline. Trying to "hack" your running style in 20 days instead of 20 weeks is a recipe for disaster. Your tissues need time to toughen up to the new stresses you're putting on them.

5. Stick to the "10% Rule"

Once you start actually running with your new form outside, don't get carried away. Never increase your weekly distance by more than 10% at a time. If you ramp up too fast, your "new" style will break you before you’ve even had a chance to enjoy it.

6. Get Bouncy with Plyometrics

You need to teach your tendons how to act like springs. Adding some simple drills like pogo jumps or lateral hops into your routine is a game-changer. It trains the "load then explode" mechanism in your Achilles, which is exactly what you need if you’re moving away from a heavy heel strike.

7. Know Where the Pain is Moving

Changing your strike doesn't make the impact disappear; it just moves the "bill" to a different part of your body. This is the Injury Redistribution Hypothesis . You’re basically trading the risk of "Runner’s Knee" for the risk of calf strains or Achilles tendinopathy. You have to decide which trade-off you’re willing to make.

8. Use a Treadmill and a Metronome

During the early days, the treadmill is your best friend. It’s a controlled environment where you can use a metronome app or a mirror to keep your rhythm steady. These auditory cues help you maintain that higher step rate until it becomes second nature.

9. Use the "3 out of 10" Pain Rule

You’ve got to be strict with your body’s feedback. If you feel any pain that’s higher than a 3/10, or if that pain lasts more than 24 hours, you’ve gone too far. If that happens, back off and go back to the previous week's volume. Ignoring those little niggles is how 25% of people end up with new ankle pain while trying to fix their knees.

10. Be Careful with the Shoes

Don't think that just because you've bought a pair of "zero drop" minimalist shoes, your form will magically fix itself. Switching shoes too fast leads to injury 86% of the time. On the flip side, be aware that those big, cushioned "maximalist" shoes can sometimes hide the impact, making you hit the ground harder than you realise because you can't "feel" the floor.

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