A lot of people ask, “does my running form matter?”. The answer is YES. And while there is not one “right” way to run, there are certain elements of your form that you should be aware of to help you get the most out of your run. Making these small adjustments to your form may also help you begin to see an increase in your breathing ability, endurance and speed during your runs.
- Head – keep your head and neck in a neutral position to decrease the strain on your neck.
- Shoulders and Arms -keep your shoulders relaxed, keep your arms slightly bent at the elbow, don’t let your hands come up above your chest, avoid crossing your arms in front of you (this will help with your breathing?and avoid cramps!).
- Trunk- while you run you should keep a slight forward trunk lean to help propel your body forward, forward lean does NOT equal hunching, hunching over should always be?avoided to help optimize breathing.
- Knees- be sure to drive your knees up and forward to help propel you forward and also help avoid tripping.
- Feet and Ankles- try to land on your midfoot/forefoot when running rather than your heels (this will help keep you moving forward and avoid increase force/stress going up your leg).
If you or someone you know is interested in a running assessment please do not hesitate to contact us and one of our PTs would be happy to help you!
Written by: Dr. Taylor Ryan, staff physical therapist at HPT