Knowing your Running Style is important as it will help you decide the type of running shoe you would need. There are 3 types of running style, which is categorize by the landing of the foot in each stride.
Heel Strikers
The back portion of your heel comes in contact with the ground first and then the foot rolls onto the sole and pushes off from the ball of the foot for the next stride. Heel striking will result in more shock impose to your knees and ankles as your leg will be fairly stiff on impact. Heel strikers tend not to make use of the natural shock absorbent properties of their arch and foot, which are the first areas of shock absorption during a run.
- Recommended shoes:
Due to the reduced use of the natural shock absorbers of the arch and foot, it is recommended that running shoes with cushioned heel regions would help lessen the shock and impact on contact. Most cushioning shoes will provide the support.
Mid-foot Strikers
The mid section or the ball of your foot contacts the ground first during a run. The leg tends to flex on contact with the ground, therefore introducing less stress on the knees and minimizing pressure on the ankles.
- Recommended shoes:
It is ideal to have running shoes with cushioning or padding in the mid section of the shoes. However, there are not many running shoes in the market with substantial mid-foot cushioning.
Forefoot
The front of the foot is the first to contact the ground. A forefoot runner will also have the leg flexed on contact to the ground therefore causing less stress on the knees and ankle. This is much like use by sprinter.
- Recommended shoes:
Similar to mid-foot strikers, the shoes should have more cushioning or padding in the front section of the shoes to help with the shock absorption.
Cheers! (:
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