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Many runners land on their heels, but an expert notes that LeBron James is an exception.

The other day, I wrote about how the book "Born to Run" has changed my running style.

Proponents of such changes make big claims -- that running the "right way" can make you faster, more efficient and less injury prone. It almost sounds like snake oil ... but it comes with a fairly big, and growing, body of evidence in support.

And yet very few NBA players seem to be part of the new running form movement.

Dr. Nicholas Romanov is one of the movement's high priests. He espouses a method of running called POSE, which you can learn about in this BBC report, for instance. His son and colleague Severin says they are also very proud of the work they do now with the U.S. military, advising soldiers how to travel long distances on foot, carrying heavy loads, while minimizing energy waste and injuries. You can learn a lot about their work from their YouTube channel.

While they have not worked with NBA players (and they are frank that they would love to) the Miami-based Romanovs are also basketball fans. Nicholas played for his university in the Soviet Union, and watched any film he could of the early NBA. (He says that Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain -- who were both trained in track and field -- were the only NBA players he has seen with truly excellent running form.) Severin is a long-time Heat fan, who often attends games, and has long had concerns about Dwyane Wade's running form.

The Romanovs have lots of ideas about how NBA players might move more efficiently to reduce injury and improve performance. But the most basic of their ideas is that, while players might not want to tinker with what they do on offense and defense, at the very least they might want to consider optimizing their stride when they are under no pressure running up and down the court. That's something they do a lot, but can work on without having it mess with their overall game.

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Dr. Nicholas Romanov says Wade's striking with his heel has potential to diminish the guard's career.

Dr. Romanov spent some time examining the photographs you see here, and e-mailed thoughts about the running forms of James and Wade: