Running cadence: how to increase it and avoid injuries

Why runners get injured

I learned this the hard way: I wanted to get fast quickly, ran almost every run hard, and ended up with shin splints and calf problems. The common thread in running injuries is load that grows faster than your body adapts. In a study of 874 new runners, those who increased their weekly distance by more than 30% seemed more vulnerable to distance-related injuries (Nielsen et al., 2014).

Two habits keep that load manageable: build up gradually, and keep most of your runs genuinely easy, as successful endurance athletes do (Seiler, 2010). How to run slower covers the second one. The third lever is how you run: your cadence.

What is running cadence?

Cadence is how many steps you take per minute, counting both feet. To measure it, count your steps for 30 seconds on an easy run and double it, or read it from your phone or watch. At the same speed, a higher cadence means shorter steps; a lower cadence means longer, bouncier strides.

What a slightly higher cadence does

In a lab study of 45 recreational runners, running 5% above their usual step rate at the same speed reduced the energy their knees absorbed; at 10% above, their hips absorbed less too. Running 10% below their usual rate did the opposite, with more load at every joint (Heiderscheit et al., 2011). A follow-up found that a higher step rate also reduced the forces at the kneecap joint (Lenhart et al., 2014).

A systematic review of ten studies came to the same conclusion: a higher step rate consistently reduced vertical bounce, ground reaction forces and the energy absorbed at the hip, knee and ankle (Schubert et al., 2014). Two caveats: these are measurements of load, not long-term injury studies, and most studies were small and used mainly male runners. The authors suggest a higher step rate may help prevent and treat common running injuries, not that it guarantees it.

What is a good running cadence? Forget 180

You will see 180 steps per minute quoted as the ideal cadence. It is a rule of thumb, not a research-based target for everyone. Cadence rises with speed and differs between runners. The studies above tested small changes from each runner's own cadence, so that is the useful goal: about 5% more than you run now.

How to increase your running cadence safely

1. Measure first. Find your current cadence on a few easy runs. That is your baseline, not a problem to fix.
2. Add about 5%. At 160 steps per minute that is 168. Shorter, quicker steps, at the same pace, not faster running.
3. Practise in short blocks. A few minutes at the new cadence during easy runs, then more as it starts to feel normal over a few weeks.
4. Use a beat. Runners follow the tempo of their music without trying: in one study, changes too small to notice still shifted their cadence (Van Dyck et al., 2015). Running music by BPM helps you find yours.
5. Keep the rest the same. Change one thing at a time: same distance, same easy effort, while your cadence adapts.
6. Listen to pain. Pain that lasts, gets worse or changes how you run is a reason to stop and get it checked, not to push through.

Run to the beat with ZoneTempo

ZoneTempo's Beatmatch mixes play continuous music at your cadence, so your steps land on the beat. It learns your usual cadence from your last runs, or you set it yourself in steps of 5, which makes a 5% increase one tap. The music's pitch stays the same while its tempo matches yours, the coach's cues keep clear of the drops, and after each run you see how much of it you ran on the beat. Pair it with zone 2 heart-rate cues and you have both halves of injury-friendly running: easy effort and lighter steps. See how ZoneTempo works →

Questions

Sources

1. Nielsen RO, Parner ET, Nohr EA, et al. Excessive progression in weekly running distance and risk of running-related injuries: an association which varies according to type of injury. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2014;44(10):739–747. doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2014.5164
2. Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276–291. doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.5.3.276
3. Heiderscheit BC, Chumanov ES, Michalski MP, Wille CM, Ryan MB. Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(2):296–302. doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181ebedf4
4. Lenhart RL, Thelen DG, Wille CM, Chumanov ES, Heiderscheit BC. Increasing running step rate reduces patellofemoral joint forces. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(3):557–564. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23917470/
5. Schubert AG, Kempf J, Heiderscheit BC. Influence of stride frequency and length on running mechanics: a systematic review. Sports Health. 2014;6(3):210–217. doi.org/10.1177/1941738113508544
6. Van Dyck E, Moens B, Buhmann J, et al. Spontaneous entrainment of running cadence to music tempo. Sports Med Open. 2015;1:15. doi.org/10.1186/s40798-015-0025-9

This guide is general information, not medical advice. If pain lasts, gets worse or changes how you run, see a doctor or physiotherapist before you keep training.