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Influence of Manipulating Running Foot Strike Angle on Internal Loading of the Tibia
Sanghyuk Han1,2, Jeheon Moon3, Jusung Lee2
1Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|May 12, 2025
Summary
Forefoot striking during running increases tibial loading, particularly in the early stance phase. This suggests that switching to a forefoot strike may not reduce, and could even increase, the risk of tibial stress injuries.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Tibial stress injuries are a common concern for runners.
- Foot strike patterns during running may influence internal tibial loading and injury risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify internal tibial loading during running with imposed rearfoot and forefoot strike patterns.
- To compare tibial loading across habitual rearfoot, imposed rearfoot, and imposed forefoot strikes.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen habitual rearfoot strikers ran with preferred, imposed rearfoot, and imposed forefoot strikes.
- Synchronous collection of force and motion capture data.
- Musculoskeletal modeling and beam theory used to estimate tibial bending moments.
- Calculation of cumulative-weighted tibial impulse per kilometer.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in peak tibial bending moments were observed across foot strike patterns (p < 0.001).
- Imposed forefoot striking significantly increased tibial loading, especially during early to mid-stance (p < 0.001).
- Imposed rearfoot striking resulted in lower bending moments compared to habitual rearfoot and imposed forefoot strikes (p < 0.001).
- Cumulative-weighted impulse per kilometer was significantly greater with imposed forefoot striking (p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Running with an imposed forefoot strike leads to higher tibial loading than rearfoot striking.
- Increased mechanical demands on plantar flexors contribute to higher tibial loading with forefoot strikes.
- Transitioning from habitual rearfoot to forefoot striking may not be beneficial for runners seeking to reduce tibial loading.
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