Running Styles

Most runners simply ‘go out and run’, without devoting any time to   developing or refining their technique. The majority run with a heel-   toe running pattern – landing on their heel and rolling forward to   push off from the ball of the foot. This uses the normal heel and   ankle “rocker” to develop forward propulsion, just as we do when we   walk. Recent running and triathlon publications have highlighted the   development of the Pose method of running.

In Pose running the runner maintains a single pose or position,   moving continually forwards in this position. It uses gravity as the   major propulsive force, letting other forces assist it. The objective is to redirect gravity’s downward movement into forward motion. As the body falls forward of the stance foot, support is changed from   one leg to the other by pulling the foot from the ground using the   hamstring muscles. This is in clear contrast to the heel-toe running   style, which uses the quadriceps, gluteal and calf muscles to push the body forward.

The initial heel contact of a regular running style is forward of the   body’s centre of mass, and applies a ‘braking’ force to forward   momentum. This results in more jarring through the joints of the ankle, knee, hip and lower back, and also requires the runner to use more muscle energy to maintain forward movement. The Pose   runner lands on the mid-foot rather than the heel, with the supporting joints flexed at impact and positioned underneath the body’s centre   of mass. This results in less opposition to forward momentum, as   well as less jarring of the joints, and less energy expenditure.

Pose Runners supposedly experience fewer injuries. However,   learning to run correctly in the Pose method requires formal   coaching, with a lot of attention to developing and maintaining correct technique. Progression of the running style also incorporates   numerous strength and conditioning drills, as well as exercises for proprioception and control of the pelvis and lower limb

Heel-toe   runners would undoubtedly also see benefits in performance and   injury prevention if they too paid similar attention to running   technique and musculoskeletal conditioning.

By Christopher Scott - Physiotherapist