Improving the footprint so that it is as correct as possible is essential to improve the marks in a race. But it is also very important for good lower extremity health. We often neglect the tread and are not aware that if done incorrectly it can trigger back, hip and knee problems. Injury can even occur. Here we explain how to improve your running footprint in a simple way and also gain health.
Basic concepts
You have heard of the pronator or supinator foot , which indicates the tendency to support the foot towards the outside or the inside while we walk. Without realizing it, when we put the foot more to one side or the other we are turning the knees, ankles and hips slightly, so these parts of the body suffer. For this reason we say that in the long run the tread can affect various muscles and joints of the body . So it’s not only important to improve your footprint to improve your running record, but also to maintain good physical health.
Improving the tread is very simple, it is enough to do an exercise routine that corrects this tendency in the tread . There is nothing else to do. And if you do not know if your footprint is correct or not, just look at the footwear that you usually wear. If it is more worn on one side than the other, it means that you support your foot more on that side. Therefore, you are not getting your footing right.
How to improve your running footprint in a simple way
If your footprint is not correct it is extremely important that you remedy it as soon as possible and try to improve it to avoid injuries and ailments. We explain how to improve your running footprint in a simple way . We advise you to repeat the following series of exercises on a daily basis.
1. Toe-heel weight distribution
This is a very simple exercise and consists of doing a really easy but very useful movement. In addition, we recommend that as a runner you also apply it in your warm-up routine.
Stand with your feet straight and about 4 inches apart. Then swing your body forward so that you end up leaning lightly on your toes . Then do the reverse movement and bring the weight to rest on your heels. You don’t have to get on your toes, nor do your heels have to support the full weight of your body. It is a movement in which you do not have to force anything.
2. Extensions
Extensions are another very simple exercise. This, in addition to helping you improve your running footprint, will help you increase your elasticity and the range of motion of the foot.
Sit in a chair with a straight back and bend your right leg over the left. The ankle will have to be supported on the knee. From this position, pull the base of the toes with your hand as far as you can but without feeling pain . You will have to do the same exercise later with the opposite foot.
3. Exercise to work the arch of the foot
To perform this exercise you will need a small, hard ball. You can use, for example, a tennis shoe. The exercise is very simple, you just have to place your foot on the ball and make it roll back and forth slowly but steadily.
4. Spread and spread fingers
This is another simple exercise that can help you improve your footprint in the race or in general. In addition, this exercise has been found to be very useful also to prevent problems caused by a bad footprint, such as claw toes or mounted toes.
To do the exercise you will have to sit in a chair or on the edge of the bed or sofa and raise one of your feet. You will have to intertwine the fingers of your hand with those of your foot . That is, the fingers of your hand will have to be placed in the gaps between those of your feet. You will have to do the same with the other foot afterwards.
When you’re done, place your feet on the floor and raise your heels so that only your toes are resting on the floor . Do not get up, the goal is to stretch your fingers helping you off the ground.
5. Footwork with rubber bands
There are several exercises you can do with rubber bands that can help you improve your running footprint.
Step on the rubber with your right foot and hold the ends so that the rubber is fully taut. Then raise the foot, so that only the heel touches the ground, and lower it again. It is about the foot making force to lower the rubber.
Another way to improve your running footprint
If you think that the exercises are not helping you improve your footprint, either because you are not constant in doing them or because you simply do not notice changes, we advise you to use sports shoes adapted to your type of footprint.
We advise you, in this case, not to trust the advice or recommendations that may be given to you in a sports store, but to consult a professional to find the appropriate shoes or shoes . Ideally, you should see a podiatrist or a physical therapist. In addition to telling you what type of footwear is the most appropriate for your type of footprint , on some occasions it may recommend the use of an insole .
How to improve your running technique
Once you have solved the problem of the footprint, it is extremely important that you find the right technique to start the race.
The starting position is very important, you always have to be upright and with a slight forward lean . Then the ideal support is that you enter with the middle part of the foot forward to avoid the impact on the knee and hip . In addition, this way you will gain momentum, which is key to improving the brand.
The fact that you have to enter with the middle part of the foot in front does not mean that the heels cannot touch the ground, but that the first part of the foot that touches the ground will be the front. Said in a clearer and more direct way, it would be like entering on tiptoe.
We advise you not to try to change the initial support from one day to the next , as you would be forcing your foot to do something it is not used to. The change must occur with training and little by little, preparing your limb for it. If you do it overnight, you run the risk of injuring yourself and that is precisely what we want to avoid.
Now you know the exercises that can help you improve your footprint or what you should do in case you suspect that this is not the right one. The next thing is to train to improve your brand but without becoming obsessed. Changes take time, training, and perseverance. Of course, as we have told you, if you have any doubts, it is best to consult a specialist, who can be both a podiatrist and a physiotherapist, but never trust what they can tell you in a sports store or the advice that they can give you. gym buddies.
