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As a runner who’s eager to search out methods to run higher and assist others to do the identical, I’ve usually contemplated the query – what’s the best strategy to run?
New analysis from Bas Van Hooren and colleagues in Sports activities Medication has tried to reply this by finishing a scientific evaluation and meta-analysis. They included 51 research with 1115 runners!
What did they discover?
A better step fee (cadence) and better vertical stiffness and leg stiffness have been related to decrease power price/ higher operating economic system. Decreased vertical oscillation and trunk flexion can also assist effectivity. Better knee flexion in swing is commonly inspired by coaches however may very well be related to poorer operating economic system!
We’ve summarised their findings at completely different phases within the operating gait cycle within the pictures under (tailored from Van Hooren et al. 2024):
How would possibly we apply this clinically?
Runners with a low step fee (e.g. lower than 175) could profit from a small enhance (e.g. 3 to eight%), which may be achieved by operating to the beat of a metronome or music. This can assist deal with over-striding (which is assumed to scale back effectivity) and enhance leg stiffness and cut back vertical oscillation. Encouraging a extra upright trunk place could assist effectivity too.
Energy coaching and/or plyometrics can also assist operating economic system by rising decrease limb stiffness.
Runners are sometimes suggested to modify to forefoot strike to enhance effectivity however this evaluation concluded that operating economic system didn’t considerably differ between rearfoot or midfoot/forefoot strikers. Growing knee flexion throughout swing can also be generally steered however this can be related to worse operating economic system and better power price.
This reveals that we must be cautious of a one-size-fits-all all method – suggestions needs to be primarily based on particular person evaluation and wishes.
Runners usually actually worth gait evaluation and recommendation on enhancing their method so we’ve an in depth module dedicated to it in Operating Repairs On-line. Discover out extra about our on-line course and the way it will enable you to get nice outcomes with injured runners right here.
Just a few issues to contemplate…
The associations between biomechanics and economic system have been usually small to reasonable and, in some instances, have been non-significant or ‘trivial’. There’s additionally restricted proof that biomechanical adjustments result in improved efficiency.
Altering operating gait takes effort which can come at a metabolic price (particularly initially) so any advantages must outweigh these prices to enhance economic system/ effectivity.
There’s numerous nice element within the paper so I’d extremely advocate studying this open entry evaluation. Right here’s the hyperlink https://hyperlink.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-024-01997-3
