The Effectiveness of Gait Retraining on Running Kinematics, Kinetics, Performance, Pain, and Injury in Distance Runners: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

To evaluate the effectiveness of running gait retraining on kinematics, kinetics, performance, pain, and injury in distance runners. Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis. Seven electronic databases from inception to March 2021. Randomized controlled trials that (1) evaluated running gait retraining compared to no intervention, usual training, placebo, or standard care and (2) reported biomechanical, physiological, performance, or clinical outcomes. Random-effects metaanalyses were completed, and the certainty of evidence was judged using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. We categorized interventions into step rate, non-rearfoot footstrike, impact, ground contact time, and multiparameter subgroups. We included 19 trials (673 participants). Moderate-certainty evidence indicated step rate gait retraining increased step rate (SMD 1.03 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.63, 1.44]; number of trials (N): 4; Gait retraining interventions altered step rate and knee kinematics, lowered vertical loading rates, and did not affect running performance.