How Your Child’s Running Style Could Be Holding Them Back: A Physio’s View from the Sidelines
After wrapping up our lap around Australia, we’re finally settling back into a routine — which, for our family, now includes weekend sports. Between basketball courts and soccer fields, I spend a lot of time on the sidelines these days, watching trainings, games, and warmups.
And while I try to switch off and just be “Mum”… it’s tough to turn off my physio brain.
Because every weekend, I see the same thing: those couple of kids with poor running mechanics that not only limit how well they play — but also set them up for pain and injury.
🚨 Running Isn’t Just Running
Running might seem like a natural movement, but many kids haven’t developed efficient running patterns, especially in high-energy environments like sport.
When the body isn’t moving the way it should, it has to compensate — and those compensations add up over time. This doesn’t just hold kids back on the field; it can also lead to:
- Foot or heel pain
- Shin splints
- Knee pain
- Hip or back discomfort
- A higher risk of other sports injuries down the track (eg. ACL ruptures, ankle sprains, hamstring tears, etc)
👀 Common Running Issues I See in Kids
Here are a few red flags I often spot from the sidelines:
- Stiff arms: Their arms stay glued to their sides or swing awkwardly — this limits rhythm and speed.
- Heavy stride or shuffling gait: Their steps sound loud or flat-footed, which often means poor shock absorption AND poor force production from their muscles and tendons.
- Lack of toe push-off: They struggle to get onto their toes, making them look clumsy, slow, or off-balance.
- Difficulty changing direction quickly: Agility is key in most sports, but poor running technique makes it harder to pivot, sprint, or dodge.
These patterns can come from previous injuries, muscle imbalances, lack of strength in key areas, or simply never learning efficient movement in the first place.
🧠 Why It Matters
You might think, “They’ll grow out of it.” And while that might be true in some cases, poor running habits often stick around, especially if your child is already active or starting to experience pain.
Helping kids run better doesn’t just prevent future injuries — it can transform their performance on the field or court. They become faster, lighter, and more agile, with better endurance and less risk of pain.
🏃♂️ Want Your Child to Move and Perform Better?
Whether your child already has pain, or you just know they aren’t moving as well as they could, we can help.
At Elite Physiotherapy Mackay, we offer detailed assessments and treatment plans tailored for growing, active kids. We look at movement patterns, strength, joint mobility, and biomechanics to uncover exactly what’s going on — and what needs to change.
📅 Book your child’s performance and injury prevention assessment now via the link below:
👉 Book Now
Let’s help your child move better, feel better — and play their best.
