Much of running is focused on the feet; however, pelvic and hip positioning plays a large role in running, as well. Proper pelvic and hip motor control and stability is aseessed by doing specific hip position tests, like vertical compression and hip extension tests. With the vertical compression test, stand with someone behind you, with that person placing their hands on your shoulders. Have them push straight down. If your hips buckle, it means your pelvic alignment could be in a disadvantageous position for loading (vertical compression forces from running). This can be corrected with motor control, stability and body awareness training with the help of a physical therapist.

The National Institutes of Health, published research wherein numerous running metrics were studied through video assessments, including base of support. Base of support is a vital metric to assess, as foot placement is one of the most integral parts of running. It was noted that, as a general rule, “the left and right feet should not overlap in their ground contact location.” There should always be space between foot placement, as a narrow base of support has been known to cause painful conditions, such as tibial stress fractures and iliotibial band syndrome.

The vast majority of all runners of all levels are heel strikers. It should be noted heel striking uses less energy than forefoot (toe) striking or midfoot (balls of your feet) striking, which can reduce fatigue and unnecessary overexertion injuries. It’s worth noting Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise published a study with the findings that heel strikers were more prone to running-related knee injuries. But mid and forefoot runners were also subject to injuries — just different injuries than heel strikers. That same research determined mid and forefoot strikers were more likely to injure their achilles tendon, ankle or metatarsals. So, what is the ideal foot strike pattern? The answer is that it depends on you, the runner and each runner is different. Generally speaking we want to make sure that we are trying to land closer to our center of mass to help reduce the braking force of “over striding”. This optimal striking technique for you in this moment can be determined after a running and movement assessment.

It is no secret that technique plays a large role in running performance. Vertical displacement refers to how much your center of mass moves up and down while you run. When your vertical displacement is insufficient, it can lead to a premature touchdown of your swing leg or a low center of mass trajectory. However, excessive vertical displacement can also cause runners to expend more energy than necessary. Both of these scenarios can be corrected by changing your stride, which can be accomplished with the help of our physical therapists in the Union Square neighborhood of New York City.