Hoplitodromos

[sraj]

Figure 1. Depiction of runners during the Panatheniaic games 323-322 BC. Note the forefoot strike pattern of the runners. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplitodromos.

Recent studies have suggested that 95% of modern runners land with a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern. However, we hypothesize that running with an RFS pattern is indicative of an evolutionary mismatch that can lead to musculoskeletal injury. This perspective is predicated on the notion that our ancestors evolved to run barefoot and primarily with a forefoot strike (FFS) pattern. We contend that structures of the foot and ankle are optimized for forefoot striking which likely led to this pattern in our barefoot state. We propose that the evolutionary mismatch today has been driven by modern footwear that has altered our footstrike pattern. In this paper, we review the differences in foot and ankle function during both a RFS and FFS running pattern. .....

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.794005/full