Which part of the foot should touch the ground first when running?

It is generally believed that the technical essentials and energy supply system of long-distance aerobic jogging and short-distance sprinting are different, and can even be considered two completely different sports. Therefore, the experience of the latter cannot be applied to the former.

When running long distances, which part of the foot should touch the ground first? From a biomechanical point of view, the forefoot is the best. The arch and ankle joint have a buffering effect, reducing the risk of injury and improving running efficiency. The "posture running method" advocates the use of the forefoot to touch the ground.

I personally feel that there are two prerequisites for landing on the forefoot correctly:

1. The pace should be fast enough, at least within 5 minutes.

2. The muscle strength requirements of the ankles and calves are relatively high.

Therefore, it is difficult for ordinary runners to do this. If you only emphasize landing on the forefoot and end up "running on tiptoe", it would be a case of imitating others without any effort.

The most important thing to avoid is landing on the heels. There are two disadvantages to landing on the heels:

1. When the heel touches the ground, the knee joint is in an extended position, which easily increases the stress on the knee joint and increases the risk of injury.

2. When the heel lands, the foot is in front of the body, which will produce a "brake effect" and reduce the efficiency of running.

Therefore, for ordinary runners, the most recommended thing is to land with the entire sole of the foot, which is also advocated by the "Tai Chi Running Method".

The place where the sole of the foot lands on the ground is part of the "correct running posture". In order to reduce the risk of lower limb injuries and improve running efficiency, the following must be done: the knee joints must always be kept slightly bent when running (the knee joints act as a buffer); there should be no inward or outward rotation (to ensure the correct line of force); the landing foot should be below the center of gravity (alignment of the head, shoulders, hips, and ankles) to reduce the landing time...