Months of lower leg issues - time to switch to midfoot / forefoot strike?

I guess the question shouldn't be if I should move to midfoot / forefoot but if it would be helpful for me to try and start having my foot land under my center of mass - under hips (which could lead to midfoot / forefoot)

bump

I have been dealing with tight calves for some time and this is what has helped me.

Try strengthening your hips.

When calves are particularly tight, ice them to reduce swelling. This will free them up so the rolling, etc can have an effect.

I would not mess with stride unless you are over striding.

I have already been doing all that strengthening stuff - but thanks for the icing / rolling tip

I switched to mid/forefoot strike for a different reason (last summer) and thus far it appears to be working. But my issue was my knees, so I'm not sure it applies to you.

What kind of shoes do you run in?

Midfoot, forefoot, or landing under center of mass - whatever term we want to use - more likely will actually INCREASE calf tightness. I switched to this type of stride about 10 years ago. It resolved my knee issues but introduced posterior tibial tendinitis and calf strains. So you're really just relocating your problems. Regardless, a high % of runners have weak hips and glutes. I'd focus there and just try to manage whatever injuries crop up. Because eventually they will, pretty much no matter what you do.

Injury rates for midfoot/forefoot strike and heel strike are similar, but the most common injuries are different.

I have been doing the normal PT work for hips and lower leg strengthening so I can't really add anything else here thats why I am thinking about trying something new.

I heel strike and deal with shin splints (posterior tibialis area i think) and calf tights (both occasionally, not all the time) already - is the strike the problem or something else?

bazap wrote:

For months I have had short burts of calf tightness, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints. All of which resolved with rest and PT work, but when I start running again eventually they find themselves coming back.

What you haven't been doing is strengthening your feet. Ballet is probably best. There are a couple of books on pointe work that you will find helpful. Rolling out your feet, ankles, and into the calf with small balls.

I'm guessing as soon as you got some relief, you ramped up the volume, again, and the injury returned.

I have been doing feet strengthening for sure.

No I did not just suddenly jump back into volume suddenly either.

Just quit.

You're a moran.

If you heel strike and have all these injuries and pain and therapy, etc, and come on letsrun to ask if you shouldn't heel strike, you are an imbecile.

Quit.

anti moran wrote:

Just quit.

You're a moran.

If you heel strike and have all these injuries and pain and therapy, etc, and come on letsrun to ask if you shouldn't heel strike, you are an imbecile.

Quit.

Thanks for the advice.

Also it's spelled moron

bazap wrote:

Also it's spelled moron

You must be new on Letsrun.

"but when I start running again eventually they find themselves coming back"So perhaps you shouldn't run?Seriously though, why do you think altering your footstrike to something that is not natural to you will improve you running? It's 2017....the "all runners should midfoot or forefoot strike otherwise I'm not cool" logic went out 7 or 8 years ago.Take more time off. Sometimes you have to take months off. Find something else to do until you're well enough to run again.

bazap wrote:

For months I have had short burts of calf tightness, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints. All of which resolved with rest and PT work, but when I start running again eventually they find themselves coming back.

I have been doing core, strengthening, massage / graston / ART, etc, and other PT work but it seems there is still something else going on that is wrong.

I currently heel strike - could a switch to midfoot / forefoot strike help?

You should run forefoot because that is the natural way to run. Running heelstrike is a distorted way to run, and it is possible only because of the invention of cushioned heel shoes. No cushioned heel- people would not be heelstriking, because it is pain full to land on the heel this way. Try jumping on the spot and landing on your heels- painful. Heels aren't meant to take impacts. They are meant to hold weight like in walking or standing, they can't absorb an impact. However, have no illusions, forefoot running can cause injuries as well. Most common are calves injuries or Achilles tendon injuries or ankle issues. Usually injuries occur when people don't go up the mileage gradually, or at speed workouts such as tempos, intervals and so on, or when people feel a tiny injury and still go training hard and worsen it.

I'm not so concerned with altering my foot stroke but changing where my foot labs relative to my center of mass.

My thoughts are in line with this