Can you measure running form improvements?

Can you measure running form improvements?

You can, but it’s not easy.

First, a clarification.

Your running form is not the same as your running gait:

🔹 gait is the ‘what’ – the movement sequence like heel-striking or how high you lift your foot during the swing phase.

🔹 form is the ‘how’ – whether your movements are efficient, stable, and injury-free.

It’s really hard to change your gait, as most of these things are subconscious, and your brain (which is always looking to optimise energy usage) is likely to ‘correct’ any corrections you try to make.

Fortunately, you can improve your form, and by improving your form you can improve your running effectiveness.

But it’s not a straightforward thing, and it’s easy to make things worse rather than better.

How can you work on your form?

Before starting any form work, you should consult a sports physiotherapist. They can assess your current form and help you identify whether there are things you should prioritise to reduce injury risk.

A second option is to work with a specialist running coach, someone who has the training and tools to assess your running form and identify things you could do to improve your form.

Both the physio and the running coach will probably suggest activities to add to your training plan – strength and conditioning, running drills, plyometrics, and other supplemental activities.

Use RE to see if your form changes are improvements

Before starting any supplemental activities, complete a reference run or two.

This will provide baseline RE measurements.

Then, while working on your form, complete additional reference runs to track whether the activities are improving your RE (and you should continue them), or whether you should try something different.

RE provides an objective way to assess whether form changes have improved how effectively you convert power into speed.

For more information on how to use Running Effectiveness, see Understanding ‘Running Effectiveness’ and its uses (Palladino)