Cadence & Running Form: A Potential Way to Reduce Injury Risk

At Steady State Health, we work with runners every day—whether they’re training for their next PR or coming back from injury. If you’ve ever wondered whether adjusting your running cadence could help with injury prevention, you’re not alone. Many runners in Scarborough and the greater Maine area come to us for expert guidance on running form, physical therapy, and gait analysis.

If you’ve spent any time researching running form, you’ve probably come across debates on heel-striking versus forefoot striking. A common myth is that heel-striking is inherently bad—but the reality is more nuanced.

Instead of focusing solely on which part of your foot hits the ground first, a more important factor in injury prevention and efficiency is where your foot lands in relation to your body—and that’s where cadence comes in.

Does Heel-Striking Cause Injuries?

Heel-striking gets a bad reputation because it’s often associated with overstriding, where your foot lands too far in front of your body. This can increase braking forces and stress your knees more with each step.

But forefoot striking isn’t automatically better—it simply shifts the load elsewhere, increasing stress on your calves, Achilles, and plantar fascia.

So if you’re dealing with chronic knee pain, shifting away from a heel-strike pattern may help reduce stress on your knees. However, if you frequently struggle with Achilles pain, calf strains, or plantar fasciitis, a mild heel-strike might actually reduce your injury risk by lowering the demand on those tissues.

Ultimately, heel-striking itself isn’t the problem—overstriding is.

Overstriding: The Bigger Issue

Most runners, whether they heel-strike, midfoot-strike, or forefoot-strike, benefit from landing closer to their center of mass to reduce impact forces.

When your foot lands far ahead of your body, it acts like a brake, increasing stress on your joints and soft tissues. Over time, this adds up to a higher risk of injury—and considering that up to 80% of runners get injured each year, small adjustments can make a big difference.

Cadence: A Simple Fix for Overstriding

One of the easiest ways to improve your stride mechanics without overhauling your running form is to adjust your cadence—the number of steps you take per minute.

A low cadence usually means your strides are longer, increasing your risk of overstriding. By slightly increasing cadence, you naturally shorten your steps, reducing braking forces and lowering impact stress.

What’s the Right Cadence for You?

For years, the number 180 steps per minute (spm) was considered the gold standard. But research and real-world data have shown that ideal cadence varies from runner to runner.

Elite runners have successfully set world records with cadences between 170-210 spm, proving that there’s no single magic number. Instead of chasing an arbitrary cadence, focus on what works for your body—but if your cadence is below 170 spm at an easy pace and you have a history of injuries, a small adjustment may be helpful.

How to Adjust Your Cadence

If you’re looking to fine-tune your cadence, follow these steps:

1. Check Your Current Cadence
   • If you use a GPS watch, platforms like Strava, Garmin, or Coros track cadence automatically.
   • Look at an easy run (not a speed workout) to see your average steps per minute.
2. Make Small, Gradual Changes
   • A sudden increase can alter load distribution and lead to new injuries.
   • Aim for a 5-7% increase at most.
   • Example: If your cadence is 160 spm, a small jump to 168 spm is a reasonable target.
3. Use a Metronome or Watch Alert
   • Apps or GPS watch settings can provide a beep or vibration to help match your steps to the desired cadence.
   • Start by running to the beat on a treadmill at your usual easy pace—this prevents subconscious speed changes.
4. Ease Into It
   • Try 3-4 treadmill runs first before transitioning outside.
   • Gradually phase out the metronome, using it intermittently as a check-in.
5. Monitor and Adjust
   • Keep an eye on your cadence over time. If it starts to drop again, revisit cadence drills to reinforce the habit.

Final Thoughts

👉 Heel-striking isn’t the enemy—overstriding is the real issue.
👉 Cadence is a simple, effective way to reduce overstriding and impact forces.
👉 Small, gradual adjustments (5-7%) can improve your stride without increasing injury risk.

If you’ve struggled with injuries and aren’t sure where to start, checking your cadence could be an easy, actionable way to keep running strong and injury-free.

At Steady State Health, we specialize in running physical therapy, gait analysis, and performance coaching. With locations in Portland and Scarborough, including our space inside Coastal Run Maine, we’re here to help runners train smarter and stay injury-free. If you’re in the area, stop by Coastal Run Maine - a great spot for connecting with the local running community.

Happy running!

-Kelton 

Dr. Kelton Cullenberg, PT, DPT