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Master proper running form to stay injury-free while maximizing performance
Foot strike, cadence and arm swing all play an important role in running technique.
Whether you've been running for many years or you're just getting started, there's a good chance you've heard about the importance of maintaining proper running form. However, hearing about proper running form and implementing strategies to improve your technique are two very different things. If you've ever caught yourself running with slumped shoulders or your hands held close to your chest, you may be aware that your form could use some work — taking steps to apply proper technique can help prevent injury and improve your efficiency.
"Optimizing one's running gait comes down to maximizing muscle strength, power, coordination and mobility," says Jessica Mena, an RRCA-certified running coach in Los Angeles. She explains that improving these areas of performance helps your body adapt better to the stress placed on it while running, enhancing your ability to absorb shock and reduce the risk of injury. In a nutshell, better form leads to better running economy and improved overall performance.
Key elements of proper running form
According to Kurt Roeser a physical therapist and owner of Boulder Run Physio in Boulder, Colo., key factors influencing running performance and injury prevention include dynamic stability at the pelvis and foot, mobility in the thoracic spine, hips and ankles and the ability to absorb shock effectively. However, it's important to understand that everyone has unique movement patterns and potential underlying impairments, so optimizing these areas can vary by individual. "Some runners have distinctive biomechanics that might deviate from traditional norms yet [they can] still avoid injuries and achieve great success," Roeser says.
According to Mena, the things most clinicians and sport biomechanics specialists look for include:
Mid-foot landing. Heel striking leads to more strain on the anterior portion of your tibia and calf in your lower leg as your foot rolls forward to push off the ground. "A high percentage of runners with persistent shin splints display heavy heel landing," she says. Adjusting foot strike for a mid-foot landing can help prevent unnecessary strain along your shins.
Avoiding overstriding. "Overstriding can be problematic because it causes a breaking mechanism during the loading phase of gait," Mena says. "This in turn increases the ground reaction forces of landing, which long term adds more stress to the joints and ligaments."
Neutral elbows and controlled arm swing that doesn't cross your midline. "Crossing the midline during arm swing can lead to loss of forward acceleration and can create excess trunk rotation, which can lead to low-back and hip injuries," Mena says.
Neutral head and neck. "If the head and neck are too strong you will see a bobbing head, which can cause neck pain," Mena says. This is common when someone is exerting themselves and they start to tense up through the shoulders, arms and neck. Consciously remembering to relax the neck and shoulders can help prevent this issue.
Trunk lean of about 10 degrees. "A 10% trunk lean allows for the runner to engage the glutes a lot better than erect posturing. It sets up the hips to push off a lot better from the ground instead of overusing the hip flexor to pull the leg up and through," Mena explains.
Fatigue is another consideration that comes into play when assessing running form, Roeser says. "For instance, an athlete may demonstrate excellent hip stability during a short-distance race like a 5K but struggle to maintain pelvic stability over the course of a marathon, increasing the risk of injury." Improving overall conditioning (muscular strength and cardiovascular endrance) and doing self-checks on form when you start to get tired can help reduce the likelihood of injuries or reductions in performance.
"No single aspect of running form is universally more important than another; the influence of each factor depends on the individual’s biomechanics and the specific challenges they face," Roeser says. "Tailoring interventions to unique needs is essential for improving performance and reducing injury risk."
Common mistakes and how to fix them
While weaknesses tied to running form can vary by individual, there are a few common mistakes seen among runners of all levels that are associated with breakdowns in form, says Jenna Zajac, a physical therapist also working at Boulder Run Physio.
Overdoing intensity, leading to fatigue and biomechanical problems
One example is running too fast and too often when the majority of training should be done at a low enough intensity to simultaneously hold a conversation.
"Pushing paces beyond what the body can biomechanically handle can lead to compromised form and an increased risk of injury," Zajac explains. "The cardiovascular system often adapts to training more quickly than the musculoskeletal system, allowing runners to feel capable of pushing harder before their body is fully prepared to handle the increased load, and this mismatch can place undue stress on the body and disrupt efficient movement patterns."
To correct this, it's important to progress training appropriately, tailoring it to your current fitness level to ensure a balance between cardiovascular fitness and musculoskeletal readiness, Zajac says. If you're working to increase your speed or the total number of miles you run each week, focus on one area at a time (speed or distance, not speed and distance), and only make a 10% increase to training load per week. For example, if you're currently racking up 15 miles per week, don't try to increase your total mileage next week by more than 1.5 miles.
Bouncing while running, rather than propelling forward
Too much vertical displacement, or bouncing up and down, is also a common error, Mena says. Many runners do this to try to correct their gait by bouncing versus pushing forward to feel springy, but it's ultimately a waste of energy.
"[Runners] can correct [this] by adding a small trunk lean, working to increase their cadence to [reduce the risk of overstriding], and swinging their arms by their sides," she says.
The benefits of professional gait analysis
If you're unsure about potential issues with your running form, it can't hurt to get an assessment by a professional. Everyone has a unique skeletal system that includes variations in bone length and size, exact attachment points of muscles, tendons and ligaments and history of injuries or muscular imbalances. Other factors like height, body composition and weight can also play a role in biomechanics. Each of these factors can affect gait and the steps you should take (so to speak) to maximize your running mechanics.
"A professional gait analysis can be highly beneficial, as it provides a skilled evaluation of movement patterns to identify areas of weakness or imbalance," says Brittney Feivor-Smith, another physical therapist at Boulder Run Physio. She adds that this is particularly helpful for injured runners as they're more likely to make changes to their gait to compensate for their injury, but she points out that these "compensatory movement patterns could exacerbate the issue."
According to Zajac, professional feedback on your form can help you identify factors that could increase risk of future injury, providing you with the tools you need to address personal deficiencies in strength, mobility and stability. "Improved form reduces biomechanical stress and minimizes energy expenditure, allowing the body to perform more efficiently at similar paces," Zajac says. "This enhanced efficiency not only helps prevent fatigue but enables runners to achieve faster speeds with less metabolic demand."
Options for self assessment
For those unable to access professional analysis, self-assessment tools can also be useful.
"Periodically recording and reviewing running form videos can help [you] identify changes in mechanics over time," Feivor-Smith says. "Additionally, single-leg strength and balance exercises can serve as a practical way to detect side-to-side differences, offering insights into potential areas of improvement." For instance, do you feel stronger or better balanced when performing a single leg squat on your right side versus your left? Adding more unilateral exercises to your cross-training routine can help you correct side-to-side imbalances over time.
If you want to record yourself to self-assess your form, Mena says the best way is from a posterior view (behind) and lateral view (to the side) in slow motion on a treadmill, There are apps and other wearable tools that can also help you identify potential areas of improvement. Here are a few options suggested by our experts.
Ochy
The Ochy app is available on iOS and Android phones and provides detailed feedback on running form based on factors including vertical oscillation, foot landing, leg cycle and joint angles. You simply sign up for a single analysis or a subscription, then submit a short video of yourself running. Analysis only takes a minute and based on the findings, the app provides suggestions for improving form and developing strength to correct potential imbalances.
Dartfish
Dartfish is an online biomechanics analysis tool that works on web platforms and mobile devices. iOS and Android subscriptions start at $7 per month, billed annually. Like Ochy, Dartfish takes the videos you shoot on your phone and provides immediate feedback on your biomechanics. One big difference, though, is that Dartfish is geared to a range of sports and activities that reach well beyond running. If you're a multisport athlete, Dartfish can provide feedback on form for everything from cycling and swimming to strength training and yoga.
The Garmin Running Dynamics Pod is a wearable device that you clip to your waistband while running. It syncs with compatible Garmin watches and provides key metrics on form including cadence, ground contact time, ground contact time balance (analyzing which foot spends more time in contact with the ground), stride length, vertical oscillation (bounce) and vertical ratio (the ratio between vertical oscillation and stride length). Unlike the apps, the Running Dynamics Pod doesn't use video to assess your gait, but may be an easier way to not changes to your form in real-time during training runs.
FAQs
How can I improve my running form?
After getting a proper analysis, you can improve your running form with cadence or stride length drills, as well as strengthening, flexibility and mobility exercises.
How do I know if I have proper running form?
Getting a gait analysis by a specialist such as a physical therapist or sports medicine physician can help determine if you would benefit from adjustments to your form. Self-assessments can be helpful in this regard as well.
Can running form help prevent injuries?
In a word, yes, addressing inefficiencies can help you to run comfortably and reduce your risk of injury. However, it's worth pointing out that drastically changing form is not recommended over making small tweaks, Mena says.
"Being able to hold your [individual] form for a whole race is more valuable than trying to run just like [marathon world-record holder] Eliud Kipchoge," she says. "This goes back to optimal strength, endurance and power are key players in maintaining form throughout your training runs and races, which will then aid in speed. If your muscles and tendons are strong, resilient and adaptable, it will be easier to train harder and longer and thus improve speed."
How long does it take to change your running form?
The time it takes to see changes in running mechanics depends on the specific adjustment being made, Feivor-Smith says. Metrics like increasing cadence can be improved almost immediately through metronome training and external feedback, and this adjustment can help some runners reduce an overstriding gait pattern and lower ground reaction forces.
However, achieving meaningful improvements in strength, running economy and dynamic stability can take at least six weeks of consistent, targeted strength training to produce measurable results, she adds.
"It’s also important to recognize that the body naturally moves in the most efficient way it can, often taking the path of least resistance," Feivor-Smith says. "Altering longstanding movement patterns involves retraining the body to adopt new mechanics, which can be a gradual and time-intensive process. Patience and persistence are key to achieving sustainable changes."
Should I enlist a running coach to help with my form?
A coach can help you identify weaknesses, but if dealing with potential injuries, it would be wise to consult a sports medicine physician, physical therapist or other health expert.
Meet our experts
Jessica Mena, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and RRCA-certified coach in Los Angeles
Kurt Roeser, PT, DPT, OCS, a physical therapist and owner of Boulder Run Physio in Boulder, Colo.
Jenna Zajac, PT, DPT, PhD, a physical therapist at Boulder Run Physio
Brittney Feivor-Smith, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Boulder Run Physio
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
