Switching Foot Strikes: How It Shakes Up Your Run

You might think changing your foot strike while running is just about finding what feels right. But it turns out, it can also affect how much load your body takes. A study dove into this topic, observing how switching to a different foot strike impacts the load your body feels. Researchers had 27 young adults (16 men and 11 women) run on a high-tech treadmill. First, they ran with their usual foot strike for 10 minutes. Then, they switched to a new one for 6 minutes. The researchers kept an eye on how much load their bodies felt and how consistent their steps were. What did they find? When people ran with a rearfoot strike, whether it was their usual one or a new one, their bodies felt more load and their steps were less consistent. But here's where it gets interesting: when they switched to a new rearfoot strike, their bodies felt even more load and the steps were even less consistent. So, switching to a new rearfoot strike can really change things up, making your body feel more impact and your steps less predictable.