Forefoot strike, rear foot strike or running shoes. Does it matter?

Orthotic intervention in forefoot and rearfoot strike running patterns.

OBJECTIVE To compare the differential effect of custom orthoses on the lower extremity mechanics of a forefoot and rearfoot strike pattern. DESIGN Fifteen subjects ran with both a forefoot and a rearfoot strike pattern with and without orthoses. Lower extremity kinematic and kinetic variables were compared between strike pattern and orthotic conditions. BACKGROUND Foot orthoses have been sh...

To strike or not to strike.

Acute effect of different minimalist shoes on foot strike pattern and kinematics in rearfoot strikers during running.

Despite the growing interest in minimalist shoes, no studies have compared the efficacy of different types of minimalist shoe models in reproducing barefoot running patterns and in eliciting biomechanical changes that make them differ from standard cushioned running shoes. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of different footwear models, marketed as "minimalist" by their ...

Kinematic and kinetic comparison of barefoot and shod running in mid/forefoot and rearfoot strike runners.

Barefoot running has been associated with decreased stride length and switching from a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern to a mid/forefoot strike (M/FFS) pattern. However, some individuals naturally contact the ground on their mid/forefoot, even when wearing cushioned running shoes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the mechanics of barefoot running by natural shod RFS runners differed ...

Economy and rate of carbohydrate oxidation during running with rearfoot and forefoot strike patterns.

It continues to be argued that a forefoot (FF) strike pattern during running is more economical than a rearfoot (RF) pattern; however, previous studies using one habitual footstrike group have found no difference in running economy between footstrike patterns. We aimed to conduct a more extensive study by including both habitual RF and FF runners. The purposes of this study were to determine wh...