Soft or hard ground: What’s better for runners?

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Dr. Jack Rutherford

August 5, 2012

Soft or hard ground: What’s better for runners?

By Dr Jack Rutherford Register Columnist The Richmond Register Sun Aug 05, 2012, 08:57 AM EDT

RICHMOND — You see them everywhere. Dirt paths carved out of the grass along paved roadways and bicycle routes. Paths created by runners who believe that softer ground protects them from injuries.

Are they right? Exercise researchers say there is no convincing evidence one way or the other.

There are no studies in which large numbers of runners were assigned to run on soft or hard surfaces and then followed to compare injury rates.

There’s good reason for that. Few runners are willing to take a chance with their bodies for fear they will get hurt and be done with running.

That means the answer must come indirectly from bio-mechanical studies of the feet in motion.

One such study measured the force with which runners struck a force plate, a simulated way of looking at the pounding that a runner’s feet must endure. To mirror the difference in hardness of the ground, researchers varied the cushioning of the shoes. More cushioning approximated softer ground.

The study found the body intuitively adjusts to different surfaces to keep the forces constant when the foot strikes the plate. That finding is logical, according to exercise scientists.

If you jump from a platform to the ground, you automatically bend your knees when you land. If you jump on a trampoline, you stiffen your knees to create more spring. Something like that happens when you run on harder or softer surfaces. On a hard surface, your body lessens its stiffness. Your hips and knees flex more. On a softer surface, your legs stiffen.

For runners who are considering switching to softer ground, experts caution it be done gradually. Changing your surface should be viewed like increasing your mileage or changing your shoes, a significant alteration. Abrupt changes can be risky and potentially unsafe.

Given the lack of solid evidence that softer surfaces prevent injuries, experts suggest running on the surface of choice. If you like running on softer ground, then do so. Just get a pair of comfortable shoes and get out there. Unless you’re a competitive racer. Most road races are on hard roadways, so you should train on asphalt for best results.

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