Slightly leaning your body forward while running can help reduce stress in your knees, according to a new study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
For their study, researchers asked 24 runners who ran faster than an 8:00 mile to select one of three running styles; Flexed (Some forward lean), Erect (Essentially straight trunk) or self-selected (No intentional style). Researchers measured the reaction forces and stress levels exhibited by each group and uncovered:
• In the self-selected group, the runners with the least forward lean experienced the most patellofmoral joint stress.
• The difference was even more pronounced when comparing the flexed group to the erect group.
• No groups said they experienced pain before or after running, but researchers say the increased knee stress could cause problems over time.
“On average, a 6.8-degree increase in the mean trunk flexion ankle resulted in a 6.0 percent decrease in peak [patellofemoral joint] stress, whereas a 3.3-degree decrease in mean trunk flexion led to a 7.4 percent increase in peak [patellofemoral joint] stress,” researchers noted.
Dr. Silverman Comments
The study’s findings are interesting, but it’s nothing new. As I’ve said in previous posts about running, a midfoot strike is generally preferred to a heel strike pattern. Not only does a heel strike cause more stress to the knee, you’re also at a heightened risk for a heel bruise or calcaneal fracture.
You are more likely to run in a heel-strike pattern if you have an erect trunk. Leaning slightly forward will naturally push you towards a midfoot strike as your feet adjust to your new center of balance. That’s not to say a slight lean will automatically make you run with a midfoot strike, but the study appears to show that even in heel strikers some of the knee stress can be avoided by repositioning your trunk.
Another thing to keep in mind when running is to keep your hips facing forward. Running with a moderate to significant hip twist puts unneeded stress on your lower half.
In the end though, everyone has their own running style, but if you find yourself dealing with knee pain after your run, try leaning forward a bit during your next jog.