Impact Forces at the Knee Joint – A Comparative Study on Running Styles

[Jimbo]

Found this article on line and thought I'd share. I'm still reading it...but it's too interesting not to pass along. Pretty technical read.(you may need coffee)

Outlines the various running styles and their affect on your knees.

http://www.posetech.com/library/cs-05-2001.html

[RobertT]

Very interesting. I didn't read past the research results, but a couple of things really stuck out to me:

"...a stride length that was 20% less than the preferred stride was the stride length with the least stress at the knee joint during the impact phase."

and

"...investigators noted that at a higher step frequency, where the time of support became shorter, the average vertical force Fz and the vertical displacement both decreased. The power necessary to move the center of mass decreased as the period of rest between strides (support time) decreased."

Based on other readings earlier this year, I've adjusted my stride length and frequency. Not easy, let me tell you; I've been running for more than thirty years (I know, I should be tired), and always believed that these components of such a natural act were hard-wired.

But the results have been outstanding. I'm running almost as fast as when I was in my thirties (55 now) and I feel more invigorated and less beat up than in the past several years. And I've noticed an offshoot of the shorter stride was a closer to mid-foot strike, which also seems more optimum than my previous heel/stop method, according to your article.

I've only heard bits and pieces about the 'Pose Method'. I'll have to poke around and read up on it some.

Thanks

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by RobertT

Very interesting. I didn't read past the research results, but a couple of things really stuck out to me:

"...a stride length that was 20% less than the preferred stride was the stride length with the least stress at the knee joint during the impact phase."

and

"...investigators noted that at a higher step frequency, where the time of support became shorter, the average vertical force Fz and the vertical displacement both decreased. The power necessary to move the center of mass decreased as the period of rest between strides (support time) decreased."

Based on other readings earlier this year, I've adjusted my stride length and frequency. Not easy, let me tell you; I've been running for more than thirty years (I know, I should be tired), and always believed that these components of such a natural act were hard-wired.

But the results have been outstanding. I'm running almost as fast as when I was in my thirties (55 now) and I feel more invigorated and less beat up than in the past several years. And I've noticed an offshoot of the shorter stride was a closer to mid-foot strike, which also seems more optimum than my previous heel/stop method, according to your article.

I've only heard bits and pieces about the 'Pose Method'. I'll have to poke around and read up on it some.

Thanks

That first point jumped out at me too. Man that's a serious read. Lots in there.

[UpNorth]

Good read! Thanks for posting the link.

It is a long read but most of it is study methodology. The conclusion is that a mid-foot strike running style will reduce the forces on the knee. Which makes sense -- shorten the stride length so the foot lands under the hip which forces you to land on the ball of your foot and prevents you from fully straightening your knee and the calf takes much of the trauma not the knee joint.

If you try this running style, which I heartily recommend, you will feel it in your calves. That much I promise.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

Good read! Thanks for posting the link.

It is a long read but most of it is study methodology. The conclusion is that a mid-foot strike running style will reduce the forces on the knee. Which makes sense -- shorten the stride length so the foot lands under the hip which forces you to land on the ball of your foot and prevents you from fully straightening your knee and the calf takes much of the trauma not the knee joint.

If you try this running style, which I heartily recommend, you will feel it in your calves. That much I promise.

I did. And, yes, I did.

PS - You did a good job taking that Hu-yuGE article down to a single paragraph. Wish I had waited for your version.