A few months ago I received an email from the editor of Lower Extremity Review asking if I’d be willing to write an article on the topic of foot strike in running. Given that the publication’s target audience consists of medical practitioners who regularly treat lower extremity injuries, I was a bit hesitant at first to accept the assignment since I am not a clinician.
However, having just written a chapter for my book on the topic of foot strike in running, I had read through much of the existing academic literature on the relationship between foot strike and running injury risk. Thus, I figured I’d go ahead and give it a shot. I took off my blogger/author hat and put on my academic hat and produced an article titled “Foot strike in runners: Influence on injury risk.”
It’s amazing how challenging it can be to switch writing gears between blogging, book writing, and academic writing, so hopefully the turned out to be somewhat coherent!
You can read my foot strike article on the Lower Extremity Review website here: http://www.lowerextremityreview.com/article/foot-strike-in-runners-influence-on-injury-risk
About Peter Larson
That is a superb, sober, clinical, and fascinating state-of-the-union. It is one of very few articles I’ve read on this topic that I could show to my podiatrist friends without them rolling their eyes. Well done Pete!
Thanks Dave!
Wow that was a lot to process! One finding that stood out in my mind was how vertical impact measurements were lower in front foot loaders compared to heel loaders but not in the study in which people were instructed to lead with their front foot. What do you think about the idea that people are predisposed to a certain foot impact pattern, and that it is safest for them to use that pattern?
I wrote a whole book on the topic :) It’s very complicated because we all vary so much based on our individual histories. I do believe that if we all grew up habitually barefoot we would almost all be midfoot or forefoot strikers when we run under most circumstances.
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Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – link to ow.ly
Work: link to anselm.edu…
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Dailymile Profile: link to dailymile.com…
Twitter: link to twitter.com