Changing Cadence
As more people are getting into recreational running, the number of running related injuries has also increased. Davis et al, observed that there were higher impact loads in runners with running related injuries compared to those without injury. These impact loads are the forces that travel through our body when our foot hits the ground with each step. This force then moves up through our ankle, knee, hip, and spine. If we know high impact loads increase our risk of injury, it is helpful that we examine what causes these increased impact loads in hopes to reduce them and help mitigate injury. There have been many articles that examine the relationship between impact loads and cadence.
First of all, what is cadence? It is the number of steps a runner takes per minute which differs from pace, the time it takes to cover a specific distance. Cadence is an important metric when we are looking to reduce injuries and increase efficiency of our running. This is a hard concept for people to understand and even more difficult to change. Research shows that running with a cadence of about 180 steps per minute is optimal to reduce impact loads, reduce overstriding, and help reduce the risk of injury.
Many people are aware of the “magic” number, 180 beats per minute, but how do we actually implement this into our everyday running. According to a research article by Musgjerd et al, using a metronome is an effective way to increase cadence thereby reducing these impact forces. It is suggested that using auditory cues can help to change the cadence in an outside environment which is promising for those of us trying to increase cadence when training on the roads or trails. We have different options available to us besides a basic metronome. There are playlists available on spotify, apple music, or youtube that are helpful tools to receive auditory feedback using 180 beats per minute to help provide feedback with the same rhythm. The other feasible option is using the metronome feature on one’s smartphone or smartwatch. The Garmin forerunner 245 has the option to set the metronome to different beats per minute to help runners work towards their goals of improving cadence.
The research suggests that one can modify their cadence with auditory feedback which decreases peak impact force. This is helpful to improve our running efficiency and reduce risk of injury during our training. Changing running form and other running parameters including stride length and vertical oscillation is not an easy task, but gradually improving cadence is a good starting point.
Davis IS, Bowser BJ, Mullineaux DR. Greater vertical impact loading in female runners with medically diagnosed injuries: a prospective investigation. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(14):887-892. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094579
Musgjerd T, Anason J, Rutherford D, Kernozek TW. Effect of Increasing Running Cadence on Peak Impact Force in an Outdoor Environment. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2021;16(4):1076-1083. Published 2021 Aug 1. doi:10.26603/001c.25166