How To Run Properly: Our Guide to Running Foot Strike
What Is a Running Foot Strike?
Your foot strike describes the way your foot makes initial contact with the ground during each step. Many runners question whether they should land on their heel, midfoot, or forefoot to improve performance. In reality, the most efficient foot strike for most runners is the one their body naturally adopts.
Factors such as anatomy, past injuries, running history, and footwear choices all influence your landing pattern. Instead of forcing a new style, most runners benefit more from improving overall form, strengthening supporting muscles, and using the right insole, like CURREX RUNPRO, engineered to enhance natural movement and reduce overload.
This guide covers:
- The three foot strike types
- How to assess your own strike
- Whether you should (or shouldn't) change your landing
- Injury patterns associated with each strike
- Ways to improve running form
The Three Types of Foot Strikes
Heel Strike (Rearfoot)
A heel strike occurs when the heel contacts the ground first, transferring weight forward through the midfoot and forefoot. More than 90 percent of runners naturally heel strike. This pattern is considered biomechanically efficient at moderate speeds and generally requires less metabolic energy than other strike types. However, heel striking also produces higher impact forces at initial contact and is frequently associated with overstriding.
Midfoot Strike
In a midfoot strike, the middle portion of the foot lands first, allowing load to distribute more evenly across the heel and forefoot. This strike type provides balanced shock absorption and often promotes a slightly higher cadence, which can help some runners maintain consistency in their stride. While it offers a more even distribution of impact, midfoot striking is not significantly more efficient than heel striking and still places notable stress on the ankles.
Forefoot Strike
A forefoot strike involves landing on the balls of the feet with the heel lightly touching the ground or hovering. This style is characterized by shorter ground-contact times and is often advantageous for sprinting or running steep inclines. Despite these benefits, forefoot striking places a high load on the calves and Achilles tendon, which can lead to muscle fatigue or strain during longer distances.
How to Determine Your Foot Strike
Understanding your foot strike does not require special equipment. Here are three simple approaches.
1. Analyze Your Removable Insoles
This at-home test is surprisingly effective. Here are what you should check for:
- Wear at the back of the insole (heel striker)
- Wear in the middle (midfoot striker)
- Wear toward the front (forefoot striker)
Remember, always inspect both insoles. Asymmetries are common.
2. Use Slow-Motion Video
Record your running from the side on a smartphone and look for:
- First point of foot contact
- Whether the leg extends too far forward
- Whether the foot lands under the hips
3. Consider a Gait Analysis Lab
Running labs or specialty stores may use high-speed cameras, pressure sensors, and gait analysis software, though most recreational runners can learn enough from the first two methods.
Should You Change Your Foot Strike?
Most runners do not need to change their foot strike unless they are dealing with persistent or recurring injuries. Research continues to show that altering your natural pattern can increase stress elsewhere. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that habitual rearfoot strikers had equal or better running economy with their natural heel strike compared to when they were asked to run with a forefoot strike, suggesting that forcing a new strike pattern can actually be less economical for some runners.
A 2020 systematic review in Sports Medicine also found that there is no evidence that switching from a rearfoot strike to a mid- or forefoot strike reduces injury risk or improves running economy. The authors also reported that transitioning to a non-rearfoot strike increases loading on the ankle and calf (plantarflexor) complex, even though it may reduce some forces at the knee.
Changing your strike does not guarantee fewer injuries or better performance. Improving your mechanics typically drives better outcomes.
Common Injuries by Foot Strike Type
Understanding typical injury patterns can help you identify issues early. Heel strikers often experience knee pain, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis or general heel pain due to the higher impact forces applied during initial ground contact. In contrast, midfoot and forefoot strikers are more likely to encounter issues such as Achilles tendinopathy, calf strains, or metatarsal stress reactions, since these patterns place greater load on the lower leg and forefoot structures. Regardless of foot strike type, however, most running injuries stem from poor form, training overload, or insufficient recovery rather than the landing pattern alone.
Impact Loads & Injury Tendencies by Foot Strike Type
Running research shows that each foot strike pattern places stress on different parts of the body. Instead of eliminating impact, the body simply redistributes it. Here’s how the three main strike types typically compare based on biomechanics and current evidence.
| Foot Strike Type | How the Impact Loads Your Body | Where Stress Shows Up Most | What Injuries Are More Common | What the Research Suggests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rearfoot Strike (Heel Strike) | The heel absorbs the first impact, creating a distinct loading peak and generally higher shock through the lower leg. | Knee, tibia, heel, patellofemoral joint | Tibial stress reactions, shin splints, patellofemoral pain, plantar fasciitis | Studies show heel striking increases knee joint stress and tibial impact.* |
| Midfoot Strike | Load is shared more evenly across the foot with a smoother impact curve. Impact levels fall between heel strike and forefoot strike. | Shared between knee, ankle/Achilles, plantar fascia | Mixed injury patterns; not strongly linked to any single injury type |
Evidence shows midfoot striking mostly redistributes load rather than reducing it.* |
| Forefoot Strike | Reduces the initial impact peak but increases demand on the ankle plantarflexors and forefoot. | Achilles tendon, calf complex, forefoot/metatarsals | Achilles tendinopathy, calf strains, metatarsal stress injuries | Forefoot striking reduces knee load but significantly increases Achilles and forefoot stress.* |
How to Improve Your Foot Strike
Rather than replacing your strike pattern, focus on improving where your foot lands relative to your body’s center of mass. This reduces braking forces and improves efficiency.
Here are targeted suggestions:
For Heel Strikers
- Increase cadence by 5 to 10 percent
- Shorten your stride to avoid overstriding
- Aim to land closer under your hips
For Midfoot Strikers
- Keep a tall, relaxed posture
- Maintain a steady cadence
- Avoid leaning too far forward from the waist
Forefoot Strikers
- Let your heel make light contact to reduce calf strain
- Avoid excessive toe-running unless sprinting
- Strengthen calves and Achilles progressively
These adjustments can help improve comfort and efficiency without dramatically altering your natural mechanics.
How CURREX RUNPRO Supports Every Foot Strike
CURREX RUNPRO insoles are designed to adapt to your natural movement through dynamic arch support and targeted cushioning. They help reduce overload, improve shock absorption, and enhance comfort for all foot strike types.
“Decided to up my insole game with these after a long run had my feet barking with a different insole. So far I’m loving these (low bridge/flat feet) and can’t wait for more long runs in these for marathon training to get my mileage up.” - Michael S.
“I’m a pretty new runner and the toes on my left foot were really, really struggling. Everyone kept telling me it was normal and my feet just needed to get used to it, but I knew something was wrong. At my local shoe shop they told me I have “flexible” arches & so when I got a free pair of these from the training I was doing, I thought I’d give it a shot, even though I’ve hated every other kind of arch support I’ve ever tried. These immediately felt great on my feet - very soft and flexible. Did my first run with them today & my feet feel amazing!” - Kristen B.
RUNPRO benefits include:
- Shock-absorbing heel cushioning for rearfoot strikers
- Midfoot stability for balanced load transfer
- Responsive forefoot rebound
- Options for low, medium, and high arches
- Breathable materials for long-distance comfort
Whether you’re logging easy base miles, racing, or mixing in speed work, CURREX RUNPRO helps optimize your stride by supporting how you naturally move.
Quick Runner Checklist
Before your next run, consider these cues:
- Stand tall with relaxed shoulders
- Keep your cadence steady
- Aim to land under your hips rather than ahead
- Strive for light, quiet foot contact
- Choose insoles that complement your mechanics and arch height
Your foot strike is a natural part of how your body moves. By improving your form and supporting your mechanics with CURREX, you can enhance efficiency, reduce injury risk, and feel more confident with every stride.
Foot Strike FAQs
Q: Is there a single “best” foot strike for running?
A: No. Research consistently shows that no single foot strike is universally superior. The best strike is typically your natural one, as long as it is not contributing to injury.
Q: Will switching to a midfoot strike make me faster?
A: Not necessarily. Studies show little difference in metabolic efficiency between strike types at most paces. Improvements in cadence, posture, and stride length often matter more.
Q: Are heel strikers more prone to injury?
A: Heel strikers may experience more knee or shin issues, but forefoot and midfoot strikers experience more calf and Achilles problems. Injury risk depends more on training load and mechanics than strike type alone.
Q: Can insoles help improve my foot strike?
A: Insoles like CURREX RUNPRO do not force a new strike but help reduce overload, promote better alignment, and distribute pressure more effectively, supporting healthy mechanics regardless of landing style.
Q: How can I tell if I’m overstriding?
A: If your foot consistently lands far ahead of your hips in slow-motion footage, or if your cadence is unusually low (often below 165–170 steps per minute for many runners), overstriding may be occurring.