Video: 6 ways to check your running technique By Mayo Clinic Staff Share Facebook Twitter Print details How does arm movement affect your running pace? Where should you direct your gaze when out for a jog? Does it matter where you place your foot with each step? Whether you're just getting started as a runner or have been running for years, learn from Mayo Clinic experts how to find the best form every time you set out for a workout. Show transcript 6 ways to check your running technique A healthy stride can help you run longer, stronger and injury-free. And it's never too late to get started. Look at the horizon. It prevents neck strain and may make running feel easier. Lift your chest up and out. You can breathe more deeply when your chest has room to expand. Contain your arm swing. Keeping your elbows close minimizes trunk rotation and conserves energy. Land with a slight bend in your knee. It helps your body absorb shock and prevent knee pain. Practice a quicker cadence. This shifts load forward from your heel and reduces risk of injury. When in doubt, keep it quiet. Loud footsteps may mean you're not absorbing impact well. Guidance from the doctors, physical therapists, trainers and performance coaches from Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine.Get more healthy action tips delivered daily when you download the Mayo Clinic app. Show references Souza RB. An evidence-based videotaped running biomechanics analysis. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 2016;27:217. Preece SJ, et al. How do elite endurance runners alter movements of the spine and pelvis as running speed increases? Gait and Posture. 2016;46:132. Arellano CJ, et al. The metabolic cost of human running: Is swinging the arms worth it? Journal of Experimental Biology. 2014;217:2456. Strauss J (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 29, 2016. Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 3, 2016. VID-20305504