Foot strike pattern

Also known as: heel strike, midfoot strike, forefoot strike, rearfoot strike

Which part of the foot — heel, midfoot, or forefoot — first contacts the ground at each landing.

Why it matters

Foot strike gets more attention than almost any other running metric, but on its own it doesn't predict injury — what matters is where the foot lands relative to your hips.

What it means

Roughly 75% of recreational runners are heel strikers. Foot-strike pattern alone does not predict injury — overstride relative to the hip does. Switching foot strike without addressing overstride rarely reduces injury risk and can create new problems, such as extra Achilles and calf loading with forefoot striking. See our deep dive on heel vs midfoot vs forefoot for what 20 years of research actually shows.