A Forefoot Strike Requires the Highest Forces Applied to the Foot Among Foot Strike Patterns

Overview

Journal Sports Med Int Open

Publisher Thieme

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2018 Dec 13

PMID 30539084

Citations 4

Authors

Satoru Hashizume

Toshio Yanagiya

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Ground reaction force is often used to predict the potential risk of injuries but may not coincide with the forces applied to commonly injured regions of the foot. This study examined the forces applied to the foot, and the associated moment arms made by three foot strike patterns. 10 male runners ran barefoot along a runway at 3.3 m/s using forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot strikes. The Achilles tendon and ground reaction force moment arms represented the shortest distance between the ankle joint axis and the line of action of each force. The Achilles tendon and joint reaction forces were calculated by solving equations of foot motion. The Achilles tendon and joint reaction forces were greatest for the forefoot strike (2 194 and 3 137 N), followed by the midfoot strike (1 929 and 2 853 N), and the rearfoot strike (1 526 and 2 394 N). The ground reaction force moment arm was greater for the forefoot strike than for the other foot strikes, and was greater for the midfoot strike than for the rearfoot strike. Meanwhile, there were no differences in the Achilles tendon moment arm among all foot strikes. These differences were attributed mainly to differences in the ground reaction force moment arm among the three foot strike patterns.

Citing Articles

Epidemiology of adolescent runners: non-rearfoot strike is associated with the Achilles tendon and lower leg injury.

Goto H, Torii S BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025; 17(1):27.

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Reversing the Mismatch With Forefoot Striking to Reduce Running Injuries.

Davis I, Chen T, Wearing S Front Sports Act Living. 2022; 4:794005.

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Risk Factors for Injuries in Runners: A Systematic Review of Foot Strike Technique and Its Classification at Impact.

Burke A, Dillon S, OConnor S, Whyte E, Gore S, Moran K Orthop J Sports Med. 2021; 9(9):23259671211020283.

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What are the Benefits and Risks Associated with Changing Foot Strike Pattern During Running? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Injury, Running Economy, and Biomechanics.

Anderson L, Bonanno D, Hart H, Barton C Sports Med. 2019; 50(5):885-917.

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Inter-Individual Variability in The Joint Negative Work During Running.

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PMID: 30539133 PMC: 6277236. DOI: 10.1055/a-0669-0885.

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