Is cadence important for running? Read Dave’s steps to success!

And why cadence may be something to consider……

If you have ever wondered what the Cadence measurement on your Garmin running data actually means, you should hopefully find the following advice useful!

Cadence (the total number of steps you make per minute) is dictated by your running style and can have a big impact on your running economy (i.e. your energy expended). It is also a risk factor for many running injuries.

What does the research tell us?

A 10% increase in step rate may reduce knee joint loading by up to 34% (Heiderscheit et al 2011).

Low cadence (<166 steps per minute) is linked with a 6-fold increase in shin pain versus a cadence less than 178 steps per minute (Luedke et al 2016).

Low cadence is typically seen with:

  • an “over-stride” pattern – see below left, versus good foot placement right. When over-striding the foot contact is made significantly ahead of the knee and the runner’s centre of mass. This is a common running style fault and injury risk factor.

  • similarly, increased ‘bounce’ or excessive vertical oscillation expends excessive energy and also poses a risk to injury.

So what is the ideal cadence for running?

The ideal cadence for running is thought to be approximately 172-190 steps per minute.

How do I go about making changes?

Changing your cadence can take some practice and it’s sensible to only increase by 5-7.5% at a time. Allow  2-3 weeks to accommodate this amount of change before you increase any further.

There are several mobile Apps available to help set and monitor your cadence and many running and sports watches will record cadence as part of their standard data. Additionally there are running coaching strategies and drills that can be learnt to aid the correction of over-striding or excessive bounce patterns.

How can we help you?

If you are unsure if your running style is a cause of any niggling injuries or are wondering if your running style is efficient, it’s best to have a Biomechanical Treadmill Assessment which we offer here at Physio on the River.

Physio Dave Burnett is our running guru and runs our running clinic. He can give your running style an MOT and coach you through any changes necessary. He can also help you resolve any old injuries you may be carrying.

Next steps……. (no pun intended!)

To book a Biomechanical Treadmill Running Assessment with Dave just:

Call 020 8876 5690

Email us here

Or simply pop in for a chat – we’d love to see you!