A running foot strike pattern where the heel contacts the ground first, typically occurring when the foot lands ahead of the body's center of gravity. While common among recreational runners, it can create higher impact forces and braking effects compared to other strike patterns.
Simple compound of 'heel' (Old English 'hela') and 'strike' (ground contact). The term became significant in running analysis in the 1970s-80s as researchers began studying the biomechanical differences between various foot strike patterns and their relationship to injury.
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