As a runner, you’ve probably heard the advice: “Heel striking is bad, and you should avoid it at all costs.” But is that actually true? Like many things in running, the answer is: it depends. Helpful, I know. But also accurate.
Heel striking gets blamed for a lot of running problems, from knee pain to slow race times to recurring injuries. The reality is more nuanced. Your foot strike can be important, but it’s rarely the whole story. Where your foot lands, how quickly you’re turning your legs over, how much load your body is prepared for, and whether you’re currently dealing with pain are all factors that need to be considered.
If you’re an active runner trying to run faster, stay consistent, and avoid another annoying setback, this post will help you understand what heel striking actually means, when it matters, and what to focus on instead.
What Is Heel Striking?
Heel striking means your heel is the first part of your foot to touch the ground when you run. This is also called a rearfoot strike.
It’s often talked about like it’s a running flaw, especially among recreational runners. Somewhere along the way, heel striking became the villain of running form, while midfoot and forefoot striking were marketed as the “better” or more natural options.
The problem? Many runners heel strike, including plenty of strong and experienced runners.
One marathon study classified 1,991 runners during a race and found that 93.7% were heel strikers. Another study of marathon runners at the 2017 World Championships found that 67% of male runners and 73% of female runners also landed heel first, regardless of their finishing times or ethnicity. So, if even the elites are heel strikers, does that mean it’s not as bad as we’ve been led to believe?
Is Heel Striking Bad for Runners?
Heel striking is not inherently bad. What matters more is whether your foot is landing too far in front of your body. This is called overstriding.
A runner can heel strike with their foot landing relatively close to their centre of mass. Another runner can land on the midfoot or forefoot while still reaching too far forward. That’s why chasing a different foot strike without looking at the whole picture can backfire.
Many runners worry that a heel strike will cause injury, but the research doesn’t definitively support this. Running injuries usually come from a mismatch between load and capacity. Load includes things like volume, intensity, hills, terrain, speed work, shoes, and running mechanics. Capacity includes your current strength, recovery, sleep, stress, nutrition, and how much training your tissues are prepared to tolerate.
Foot strike can be one piece of that puzzle, but it’s rarely the only piece.
[Related: Why Runners Get Injured, Understanding Load vs Capacity]
The Real Issue Is Often Overstriding
Overstriding happens when your foot lands too far in front of your body. This can create a braking effect, which may make your stride less efficient and shift more load through your knee, hip, and lower back.
You might be overstriding if:
- Your foot lands well ahead of your knee and hips
- Your stride feels loud, heavy, or “reaching”
- Your cadence is very low for your running speed
- You feel like you’re pulling yourself forward from the front leg
- You’re dealing with repeated knee, hip, shin, or hamstring irritation
This doesn’t mean you need to panic and overhaul your gait, but your running form may be worth assessing in context.
A small cadence adjustment, a better strength base, or a targeted running cue may help. A dramatic switch from heel striking to forefoot striking usually isn’t the first move.
Should You Change Your Foot Strike?
In many cases, no.
If you’re running comfortably, staying injury-free, and progressing well, there may be no reason to force a different foot strike. Changing your natural running pattern can shift load from one area to another. For example, moving from a heel strike to a forefoot strike may reduce load around the knee for some runners, but it can increase demand on the calves, Achilles tendon, and foot.
That trade-off might be significant to some runners.
Research does not clearly show that changing from rearfoot striking to mid or forefoot striking reduces injury risk or improves running economy for uninjured runners.
Your time might be better spent strength training, improving your recovery habits, building mileage gradually, or getting a proper running assessment if something keeps flaring up.
When Foot Strike Might Matter
There are some situations where foot strike and running mechanics are worth looking at more closely.
You’re dealing with recurring pain
If the same knee, shin, hip, Achilles, or foot issue keeps showing up, your running mechanics may be part of the load equation. This isn’t to say your form is “bad.” But your current movement pattern may be stressing one area more than it can tolerate right now.
You recently changed shoes
A big change in heel drop, stack height, stiffness, or support can affect how your foot contacts the ground. Sometimes the body adapts well, but we need to be careful to gradually introduce new shoes if they have a significantly different heel drop from your previous pair.
You’re trying to improve efficiency
If your stride includes obvious overstriding, excessive braking, or very low cadence, small form changes may help you run smoother. The key word is small though.
What Should You Focus on Instead?
Rather than obsessing over whether your heel touches first, look at the full picture.
1. Check your cadence, but don’t worship 180
You’ve probably heard that runners should aim for 180 steps per minute. But what’s more realistic is a range between 170-190 steps per minute.
So instead of jumping straight to 180, find your current baseline. If you’re overstriding or dealing with certain symptoms, or if your average cadence is below 160, try increasing your cadence by about 5 to 10% and see how it feels. A metronome app or music playlist can help.
2. Think “shorter and quicker,” not “run on your toes”
If you try to stop heel striking by forcing yourself onto your toes, you may simply move the problem to your calves or Achilles.
A better cue is to take slightly shorter, quicker steps. This often brings your foot closer underneath you without needing to micromanage which part of your foot lands first.
3. Keep your posture tall and relaxed
Think tall through the crown of your head, relaxed through the shoulders, and slightly forward from the ankles. Avoid bending from the waist or leaning back as you fatigue.
Good posture won’t magically fix every running injury, but it can help your legs cycle underneath you more efficiently.
4. Build strength that supports your stride
Strength training helps your body tolerate the repeated load of running. It can also improve your ability to control your hips, knees, ankles, and feet when you’re tired.
For runners, useful strength work usually includes:
- Calf and soleus strength
- Hip and glute strength
- Quad and hamstring strength
- Single-leg control
- Core stability in running-specific positions
- Progressive loading over time
This is where a structured runner-specific program can make a huge difference. Random circuits are better than nothing, but they’re probably not enough if your goal is to run stronger and stay consistent.
Heel Striking and Injury Prevention
Heel striking alone does not guarantee injury. Forefoot striking does not guarantee protection.
A better injury-prevention approach is to ask:
- Has my training load changed recently?
- Am I strong enough for the running I’m asking my body to do?
- Am I recovering well?
- Did I change shoes, terrain, hills, or intensity recently?
- Does my running form show overstriding or excessive braking?
- Is there a pattern to when symptoms appear?
If you’re currently pain-free, there’s no need to “fix” your heel strike just because someone on the internet said it was bad.
If you’re dealing with recurring injuries or your running feels heavy, inefficient, or uncomfortable, then it may be worth looking deeper. A complete running assessment should include more than a slow-motion video of your feet. It should look at your training history, strength, mobility, footwear, symptoms, and running mechanics together.
For runners local to Port Moody, BC, a running assessment can help you understand whether your foot strike, cadence, strength, or training load is actually contributing to the issue.
Conclusion: Don’t Fix What Isn’t Broken
Heel striking isn’t automatically bad. The bigger question is whether your foot is landing too far in front of your body, whether your tissues can tolerate your current training load, and whether your overall mechanics are helping or hindering your running.
If you’re running well and pain-free, you don’t need to force a new foot strike.
If you’re injured, constantly managing niggles, or unsure whether your form is part of the problem, don’t guess. Look at the whole picture: strength, cadence, load, recovery, shoes, and running mechanics.
Key Takeaways
- Heel striking is common, even among experienced and elite runners.
- Heel striking is not automatically bad or injurious.
- Overstriding matters more than which part of your foot touches first.
- Changing from heel striking to forefoot striking can shift load to the calves, Achilles, and feet.
- Small cadence changes may help some runners, especially if they’re overstriding.
- Strength training and load management are often more useful than forcing a new foot strike.
- A running assessment can help identify whether your form actually needs changing.
Worried your running form, cadence, or strength might be contributing to recurring injuries?
Start with the full picture. If you want structured strength work that supports your running, you can check out Running Specific Strength Programs. If you’re local to Port Moody, BC and want a deeper look at your gait, strength, mobility, and training history, book a running assessment.
You can also subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram for more evidence based tips for runners.
Frequently Asked Questions about Heel Striking
No, heel striking is not automatically bad. Many runners heel strike without pain or injury. What matters more is whether your foot lands too far in front of your body, how your body tolerates training load, and whether you’re dealing with recurring symptoms.
You don’t need to stop heel striking if you’re running comfortably and staying injury-free. Forcing a sudden change to midfoot or forefoot striking can increase stress on your calves, Achilles tendon, and feet. Make changes only when there’s a clear reason.
Overstriding happens when your foot lands too far in front of your body. This can create a braking effect and may increase load through certain joints or tissues. A small cadence increase or shorter stride cue may help reduce overstriding.
Increasing cadence by 5 to 10% can help some runners shorten their stride and reduce overstriding.
Morgan Exercise Physiology offers running assessments in Port Moody, BC. A running assessment looks at video gait analysis, strength, mobility, training history, and practical recommendations so you know what actually needs attention.
References
Anderson, L. M., Bonanno, D. R., Hart, H. F., & Barton, C. J. (2020). What are the Benefits and Risks Associated with Changing Foot Strike Pattern During Running? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Injury, Running Economy, and Biomechanics. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 50(5), 885–917. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01238-y
Anderson, L. M., Martin, J. F., Barton, C. J., & Bonanno, D. R. (2022). What is the Effect of Changing Running Step Rate on Injury, Performance and Biomechanics? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports medicine – open, 8(1), 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00504-0
Bovalino, S. P., & Kingsley, M. I. C. (2021). Foot Strike Patterns During Overground Distance Running: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine – open, 7(1), 82. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00369-9
Bramah, C., Preece, S. J., Gill, N., & Herrington, L. (2019). A 10% Increase in Step Rate Improves Running Kinematics and Clinical Outcomes in Runners With Patellofemoral Pain at 4 Weeks and 3 Months. The American journal of sports medicine, 47(14), 3406–3413. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546519879693
Hanley, B., Bissas, A., Merlino, S., & Gruber, A. H. (2019). Most marathon runners at the 2017 IAAF World Championships were rearfoot strikers, and most did not change footstrike pattern. Journal of biomechanics, 92, 54–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.05.024
Kasmer, M. E., Liu, X. C., Roberts, K. G., & Valadao, J. M. (2013). Foot-strike pattern and performance in a marathon. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 8(3), 286–292. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.8.3.286
Xu, Y., Yuan, P., Wang, R., Wang, D., Liu, J., & Zhou, H. (2021). Effects of Foot Strike Techniques on Running Biomechanics: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports health, 13(1), 71–77. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738120934715
