In Part 4 of our four part GAIT ANALYSIS special, guest Dr Allison Gruber, Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University Bloomington. discusses what the research tells us about footwear and footstrike in relation to reducing running injury and increasing running performance.

Dr. Gruber has been at the forefront of running related research for more than a decade, with over 100 publications. Her primary research interests include the mechanisms of running related injuries and determinants of metabolic cost and locomotion.

Other Episodes:

• Part 1 with Dr. Max Paquette, Associate Professor of the University of Memphis Human Performance
  Center.
• Part 2 with Dr JF Esculier, Vice-President & Director of Research & Development at The Running Clinic.
• Part 3 with Dr. Izzy Moore, Associate Professor in Human Movement & Sports Medicine at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Topics (with timestamp) include:

• 0:00 Intro, including details of ‘Gait Analysis 3 Day Course’ in UK with Matt Phillips
• 4:40 Dr Allison Gruber’s views on the use of Gait Analysis for runners
• 7:50 Should we be trying to reduce Ground Impact Force for all runners?
• 11:16 Prospective Studies vs Retrospective Studies
• 13:23 Dr Allison Gruber on Researchgate. A look at some of her studies in chronological order: ‘Metabolic Cost of Altering Foot Strike Patterns in Running, 2009’
• 20:40 Are many coaches & therapists still selling forefoot strike as the best type of footstrike for runners?
• 23:57 What are some of the dangers of encouraging all runners to adopt a forefoot strike?
• 30:18 ‘Achilles Tendon Forces in Forefoot and Rearfoot Running’ 2011
• 33:10 Question from live listener: “Isn’t it necessary to address all components of running (cadence, overstriding, etc.) and not only just footstrike pattern? 35:07 Shifting load from ankle to knee by changing footstrike
• 39:20 Changing cadence will potentially increase metabolic cost for at least a short period of time
• 41:43 Question from live listener: “I’ve read that cadence below 165 has a higher injury risk… have you heard of that?”
• 44:11 ‘Footstrike patterns and race performance in the 2017 IAAF World Championship men’s 10,000 m final’ 2021
• 50:10 ‘The Missing Link in Running Injury Research: Nonrunning Physical Activity’ 2022
• 52:30 Knee load comparison during Standing, Walking & Running
• 58:50 Follow Allison Gruber on Social Media: Twitter @IUBiomechanics

Useful Links:

• Twitter: @IUBiomechanics
• ResearchGate Dr Allison Gruber

Our sincere thanks to Dr Allison Gruber for giving up her time to be a guest! 

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