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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 typically contemplated the query – what’s the best solution 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 price (cadence) and better vertical stiffness and leg stiffness had been related to decrease power price/ higher working economic system. Lowered vertical oscillation and trunk flexion may assist effectivity. Better knee flexion in swing is usually inspired by coaches however may very well be related to poorer working economic system!
We’ve summarised their findings at completely different levels within the working gait cycle within the photos beneath (tailored from Van Hooren et al. 2024):
How would possibly we apply this clinically?
Runners with a low step price (e.g. lower than 175) could profit from a small enhance (e.g. 3 to eight%), which might be achieved by working to the beat of a metronome or music. This will help tackle over-striding (which is believed to cut 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 may assist working economic system by growing decrease limb stiffness.
Runners are sometimes suggested to change to forefoot strike to enhance effectivity however this evaluation concluded that working economic system didn’t considerably differ between rearfoot or midfoot/forefoot strikers. Growing knee flexion throughout swing can be generally instructed however this can be related to worse working economic system and better power price.
This exhibits that we must be cautious of a one-size-fits-all all strategy – suggestions needs to be primarily based on particular person evaluation and desires.
Runners typically actually worth gait evaluation and recommendation on bettering their approach 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 show you how to get nice outcomes with injured runners right here.
A couple of issues to contemplate…
The associations between biomechanics and economic system had been typically small to average and, in some instances, had been non-significant or ‘trivial’. There’s additionally restricted proof that biomechanical adjustments result in improved efficiency.
Altering working gait takes effort which is able to come at a metabolic price (particularly initially) so any advantages have to outweigh these prices to enhance economic system/ effectivity.
There’s a lot of 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
https://www.running-physio.com/effectivity/
