What do YOU do when you run?
In the lead up to Sheffield Half Marathon, I saw many people running up and down Baslow Road and Abbeydale Road training for the event. It always amazes me how everybody has a unique style of running. There are countless amounts of research, books, videos and websites advising people on the ‘correct’ running technique. But who is to say one person's advice is the correct way for another person?
I completed a course in running biomechanics in 2018 and, since then, I have attended courses on running injuries and running rehabilitation. I now understand that despite everybody's different running styles, some people’s technique may look inefficient (think Paula Radcliffe), but sometimes it just works!
Unfortunately, some types of running technique can lead to inefficient running gait, which can reduce speed and can also lead to injury. The way a person runs can be down to several reasons such as their posture (such as a sitting posture at work), previous injury compensations, age and fitness levels, amongst others.
I am not going to go in-depth into running techniques, but I have summarised some of the more common, abnormal movement patterns I see and the potential pitfalls of these techniques. Do not worry if you run like this! You may have one of these techniques but it does not necessarily mean you will get injured. If you need any advice or any corrective exercises, let us know and we can either advise you in a session or book you in for one of our Activ Run Fit assessment clinics.
Four Running Styles Which Can Impact The Body
Left: Excessive overstride. Right: Valgus Collapse
1) Excessive overstride (see above left)
This is commonly seen in runners where the foot is landing too far ahead of their hips.
The runner lands with an almost straight leg.
This overuses the muscles at the front of the leg, making it difficult to activate the power muscles at the back, the glutes and hamstrings.
There is a higher impact as they load the leg with 3-5 times body weight. Plus, there is a breaking force which can slow them down.
This can cause discomfort at the ankle, shin, knee and/or back.
2) Valgus collapse (see above right)
Here, the knee falls inwards towards the midline of the body as the leg is loaded.
This poor alignment can put mechanical stress on the knee joint when loading, putting strain on the IT band and the muscle at the side of the hip.
The excessive rotation of the lower leg (tibia) in loading can cause shin pain.
The overpronation from compensation of poor hip alignment can cause excess stress on the ankle, foot and Achilles.
Left: Contralateral hip drop. Right: Sagittal Collapse
3) Contralateral hip drop (see above left)
This is a weakness and/or delayed activation of the hip muscles, hamstrings and glutes.
The runner is unable to control the pelvis and the non-weight bearing side drops.
This causes malalignment and over-loading of the leg and can cause hip, thigh or knee pain.
Mechanical forces on the knee can strain the IT band at the side of the knee.
Compensations to the poor alignment can force the ankle/foot into a pronated/turned in position and cause excess stress on the ankle and/or Achilles.
One side of the back can be compressed and the other side overworked trying to control the dropping pelvis and can cause low back pain and pain in the upper back due to compensations higher up.
4) Sagittal collapse (see above right)
Here, the body sinks too far down in mid stance putting excess stress on the joints, tendons and muscles.
This means the runner spends too long on the ground, slowing them down. Plus, the ankle and knee bend excessively under the load.
This can cause ankle, Achilles tendon and calf pain due to excessive ankle bend.
knee pain is a possibility as the knee is bent too far over the toe and then loaded.
Shin pain and overworking of the back extensor muscles can also be an issue.
As a keen runner himself, Andy completed a course in running biomechanics in 2018 and, since then, has attended further courses on running injuries and running rehabilitation.
So, as you can see, there are many different things that can be seen in a runner that may predispose them to problems or could be a cause of niggling issues. In our Activ Run fit Fit clinic I have also seen issues with arm movement, heel lift, pelvic tilt, crossing over of feet and head posture to name a few! It is interesting to work with runners on improving these issues to help them keep injury-free and improve their running efficiency.
The images above have kindly been donated to us from the book ‘Who Taught You How To Run?' by Mike Antoniades (2021).
Other interesting and informative running books:
'All About Running: From Zero To Running Hero – A Beginner's Guide To Fitness After Forty' by MIchaela Tagg (2024).
'Running The World' by Nick Butter (2023).
'The Run Of Life: How Any Runner Can Reach Their Mountain Top' by Steve Till (2023).
'I Can Run: An Empowering Guide To Running Well Far' by Amy Lane (2020).