I recently read an article in "Men's Fitness" (Jan/Feb 2014) regarding running. The question posed in the article is "is it better (on an injury standpoint) to land on your forefoot (toes)--a theory popularized by the "Barefoot Running" movement or on your rear foot (heels), which has been the accepted standard for many years.

It turns out that both types of landing patterns have their own negative orthopedic consequences, according to a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The author's came to the conclusion that there is NO right way to land as both striking patterns cause harm.

"Heel Strikers" causes more force on the knees compared to "Toe Strikers". However, Toe Strikers causes more force on the Achilles tendon.

The article summarizes the above points as follows:

"People with knee problems can benefit from forefoot striking...and those with Achilles tendon complaints can benefit from rear-foot striking. So listen to your body--and if you're considering switching, do it slowly!"