Cadence is a hot topic in the running world, and for good reason. When manipulated properly it can positively impact your running to improve efficiency and reduce strain on sensitized tissues. As always when it comes to changing your running form, it’s important to understand the research, seek the guidance of a trained healthcare professional, and do so in the safest way possible. This article will cover some potential benefits that cadence manipulation can have on your running mechanics.

Let’s start by defining cadence… Cadence, also known as step rate or step frequency, is the number of steps you are taking per minute (spm). An easy way to calculate this is by counting the number of steps on your conversational pace run for 30-seconds and then multiplying that number by 2. This number should vary depending on your pace, intensity, and terrain. So keep it simple by calculating cadence during your long, slow distance run first. If you’re fortunate enough to have a Garmin watch or other wearable technology, it’s likely that your cadence has been tracked all along.

Over the years, there has been a lot of debate surrounding cadence. Famous running coach, Jack Daniels, and local running stores who offer Good Form Running Clinics, often propose 180spm as the gold standard. The problem with that number is, it does not take into consideration the unique characteristics of you as a runner, how many steps per minute your body auto-regulates to, and your injury history. When altering running mechanics, it’s important to do so on an individual basis and while considering every variable. This may or may not mean 180spm ends up being the right cadence for you. And, truthfully, there was no mention of this number in any of the research articles I reviewed.

In the following sections, let’s comb through the research to determine how much impact increasing your cadence can have on your running. I will highlight various research articles and discuss the key findings of each. This will serve as a good review of the literature and you can dig deeper into any article that interests you.

Article #1: Influence of Stride Frequency and Length on Running Mechanics by Schubert et al

Objective: To determine how running mechanics change when manipulating stride frequency and stride length.

Findings:

• The knee was the most affected joint when cadence was increased, which displayed a more flexed position at initial contact and less peak knee flexion during the stance phase

• The ankle demonstrated a more plantar flexed position at initial contact with a higher cadence

• The hip displayed less peak hip flexion and adduction during initial contact with a higher cadence

• The foot lands closer to the body’s center of mass when cadence is increased

• There was a reduction in peak vertical ground reaction forces

• There was a reduction in center of mass vertical excursion

• Increasing cadence reduces ground contact time which in turn increases leg stiffness

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Article #2: Effects of Step Rate Manipulation on Joint Mechanics During Running by Heiderscheit et al

Objective: Assess the biomechanical effect that a 5% and 10% increase in cadence has on the hip, knee, and ankle joints to determine if it is a possible strategy to reduce lower extremity injury rates.

Findings:

• Step length decreased as cadence increased

• Decreased center of mass vertical excursion

• Reduction in braking impulse at initial contact

• Foot inclination angle, peak vertical ground reaction force, and step duration only differed with a 10% increase in preferred cadence

• Rate of perceived exertion increased when cadence was 10% greater than preferred cadence

• A 5% increase in cadence reduced energy absorbed at the knee by approximately 20%

• A 10% increase in cadence reduced energy absorbed at the knee by approximately 34%

• A decrease in preferred cadence produced a similar increase in energy absorbed at the knee

• A 10% decrease in cadence produced a significant increase in energy absorption at the ankle and hip joints, however, a 10% increase in cadence only reduced energy absorption at the hip joint

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Article #3: The Effects of Running Cadence Manipulation on Plantar Loading in Healthy Runners by Wellenkotter et al

Objective: Evaluate the effects of cadence manipulation on plantar loading during running.

Findings:

• Total foot contact time and peak force were lower with a 5% increase in cadence

• Foot contact time was greater with a 5% reduction in cadence

• Faster cadence decreased heel loading and did not increase metatarsal loads

• Metatarsal loads were generally reduced with an increased cadence

• A 5% increase in cadence was shown to reduce plantar loads 2.4-8.0%

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Article #4: Leg Stiffness and Stride Frequency in Human Running by Farley et al

Objective: Determine the relative importance of changes to the leg spring stiffness and the angle swept by the leg spring when humans alter their stride frequency at a given running speed.

Findings:

• Stiffness of the leg spring increased 2.3x between a cadence that was 26% below preferred to 36% above preferred

• The leg spring becomes stiffer to accommodate a faster cadence and less stiff when accommodating a slower cadence

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In conclusion, these research articles show there may be merit when manipulating cadence in certain situations. Increasing cadence may reduce overall load into the affected tissue if you are suffering from a running-related injury and improve running efficiency. Using a metronome can be a helpful tool when increasing to 5% or 10% above your preferred cadence as shown in the articles. It’s recommended to not make any abrupt changes, but do so in a slow and progressive manner which will allow your body to adapt to these changes in running form.

If you have any questions about how cadence manipulation may affect your running or you want more information regarding the Healthy Running Program, click here to contact me directly. Thanks for reading!