Heel strikers strike back – study says they have better running economy

Heel strikers run more economically than their midfoot striker counterparts, according to a new study out of the University of León, Spain.

Researchers from the Institute of Biomedicine examined the footstrike patterns of 20 sub-elite distance runners, divided into two groups: rearfoot strikers and midfoot strikers. They found no significant differences in VO2 Max or anaerobic threshold, but the rearfoot strikers were between 5% and 9.3% more economical than the midfoot group, depending on the pace they were running.

“Habitually rearfoot striking runners are more economical than midfoot strikers,” the researchers concluded. The runners’ step rate and stride length was the same for both groups, but the rearfoot strikers had a slightly longer ground contact time and a shorter flight time, which could explain the differences in running economy.

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