Improve Your Running Efficiency: Increasing Step rate to prevent Over-striding

What is over-striding and why is it bad?

Over-striding is defined when your initial foot strike lands in front of your center of mass (picture on the left). This causes an increase in joint loading, ground reaction forces, and breaking forces. If your body is not able to adapt to these forces an injury can occur. Ideally, your foot should be landing close to your center of mass, somewhere between your ears and eyes.

Here's a quick strategy to improve your running efficiency and decrease joint loads

One simple strategy is by increasing your step rate per minute (SPM) by 5-10%. This has been shown to reduce lower extremity joint loading and improve running kinematics. The picture on the right shows me running at a 10% increased SPM which puts my initial foot strike closer to my center of mass.

🔸Increasing your SPM by more than 10% requires greater oxygen consumption which can affect your running efficiency
🔸I use an app called RunTempo, which is a metronome to help find and modify your SPM when training
🔸Give this a shot and see if it helps!

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References:

Bramah C, Preece SJ, Gill N, Herrington L. A 10% Increase in Step Rate Improves Running Kinematics and Clinical Outcomes in Runners With Patellofemoral Pain at 4 Weeks and 3 Months. Am J Sports Med. 2019 Dec;47(14):3406-3413. doi: 10.1177/0363546519879693. Epub 2019 Oct 28. PMID: 31657964; PMCID: PMC6883353.

Lyght M, Nockerts M, Kernozek TW, Ragan R. Effects of Foot Strike and Step Frequency on Achilles Tendon Stress During Running. J Appl Biomech. 2016 Aug;32(4):365-72. doi: 10.1123/jab.2015-0183. Epub 2016 Mar 8. PMID: 26955843.

Heiderscheit, Bryan C et al. “Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise vol. 43,2 (2011): 296-302. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181ebedf4.