{"id":6710,"date":"2021-02-02T22:26:46","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T06:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpshoe.com\/?p=6710"},"modified":"2023-11-24T12:51:04","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T20:51:04","slug":"pronation-and-supination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpshoe.com\/pronation-and-supination\/","title":{"rendered":"Pronation and Supination [Foot Help and Shoe Choices]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each of us may have a slight inward or outward tilt of our ankles when we walk. If you’ve been wearing shoes all your life, it’s almost impossible to have a perfectly aligned foot because shoes help shape how our feet work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone’s ankles roll inward while standing still, this is called pronation. If the ankles roll away from the body, this is called supination. Some people use shoes to help with foot alignment. Others do exercises and\/or visit a physical therapist to help with their muscles and foot alignment.<\/strong>   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I walk, I tend to supinate my feet a bit. My arches are about average, but others with flat feet mean their ankles roll in.\u00a0<\/strong>My feet have changed over time as I’ve worn different shoes and done different types of exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started to see a bigger difference in muscle development when I started hiking more and using zero-drop shoes. What should you do if your foot rolls in or out? Below are ideas to help with developing healthy feet and choosing shoes best for your feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Have you ever thought about the importance of foot health when it comes to daily life? Did you know too little or too much foot rotation at the ankle may increase your risk for injury?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people may be unaware of what their natural walking looks like until they see it in a video. People can have neutral pronation, overpronation, or supination (also called underpronation).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s actually very rare that someone\u2019s feet and the way they walk (their gait) are always balanced perfectly. So, regardless of your gait, there are ways to accommodate and help the foot move in a more neutral\/normal way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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 What is \u201cNormal Foot Alignment\u201d?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Normal<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

During normal alignment, you walk and run in a natural biomechanical manner. Although the foot rolls in a bit with each step taken, the alignment of the bones is normal. A normal walking stride results in our body shifting weight, so it puts pressure on most of the foot bottom<\/strong> from the heel to the big toe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, sometimes the ankle rolls too far outward or inward with each step and you can’t roll off of your toes naturally. The foot is supported on the outer or inner edge of the foot. This is where we see either overpronation or supination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal when walking naturally<\/a> is to roll from the heel, through the arch, and to the toes as you push off. Natural walking should be low impact and feel natural. The pressure on your sole should be distributed equally on the bottom of your foot and not on the inner or outer edge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Sometimes, you can tell if your walking is natural until you take off your shoes and walk on a flat surface. Then, you can identify better<\/strong> if pressure is being placed on the inner or outer edge of your foot.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way that may help you identify an inward or outward foot tilt is your arch<\/strong>. If your arch is collapsed<\/strong>, such as with flat foot<\/a> individuals, then you likely have pronated feet. If you have a high <\/strong>arch<\/strong>, then you may have supinated feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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If you want to check your arch type, you can take a photo of your arch as you stand normally, with your leg under your hips and your feet facing a natural forward position. A medium arch is what most often results in normal foot alignment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another approach to see if your arch is low or high is to ask someone to help outline your feet with a pencil as you stand on a piece of paper. Also, you can apply water to the bottom <\/a>of your foot and stand on paper to see the outline of the bottom of your feet.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Low arches will show most<\/strong> of your footprint, medium arches will show your footprint without inner arch<\/strong> area, and high arches will show mostly heel and ball<\/strong> areas of the foot.”(Link<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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What Exactly are Overpronation and Supination?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Over<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Overpronation<\/strong> is essentially having a flat foot or lack of a normal arch<\/strong>. The foot (entire sole) touches the ground when one steps. This is more common than one may think, affecting 20-30% of the population. It\u2019s actually more common than supination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When our walking gait causes the foot to roll inward more than normal, overpronation occurs, which is problematic over time. One way to tell this of a person is to see where their shoes show signs of wear<\/strong>. It\u2019s more worn on the inside of the shoe\u2019s sole, then they have flat feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not unusual that these individuals will experience hip, knee, and back pain<\/strong> or possibly plantar fasciitis. For overpronation, arch supports\/orthotics and motion-control shoes<\/a> are a must!<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Supination<\/strong> or an \u201cover\u201d arch is when the body weight is placed on the outside of the foot<\/strong> when in stride, either walking or running. To notice this, you can see that a person will have uneven wear on the outside part of their shoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of arch causes individuals to have ankle soreness, shin splints, and discomfort in the heels<\/strong> or sometimes the balls of the feet. Most injuries result in ankle twists since they are more prone to outward rolls of the ankle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be common for runners<\/strong> and most athletes. Individuals with supination will need well-cushioned<\/a>, flexible shoes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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How Does One\u2019s Arch Become Over or Under-Pronated?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Under<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

For many, they are born with the type of arch<\/strong> they have. However, injuries<\/strong> can also cause pronation or supination issues. Oftentimes, when it\u2019s due to injury, it usually happens indirectly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do I mean by this? Well, if you injure your knee and cannot walk normally, you may use the other leg to compensate <\/strong>for the lack of normalcy in the injured leg. This causes more pressure to be on the other leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, if left untreated, the arches will be affected. If one is not born with supination or pronation, nor has it been caused by injury, sometimes we can see this happen from those who are on their feet for increased and excessive amounts of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight can also play a factor and result in the loss of arch and cause flat feet. On the other hand, those who overwork their feet may have tight muscles that result in a high arch over time. They may need help to stretch and realign bones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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What To Do If One\u2019s Foot is Over or Under-Pronated<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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There are many reasons for having an inward or outward tilt in your ankle. If you can’t seem to understand why your feet are over or under pronated, then the first step is to identify the problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Let a Doctor Check Your Feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I always like to see a doctor if I have a problem where I’m not completely sure. To make sure you get a proper diagnosis of your feet, see a doctor. They can refer you to a specialist or a physical therapist who can help identify and correct problems with your arch and injuries.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Let Your Feet Heal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have an injury that hasn’t fully healed, it is important to give your foot the time to heal properly and get the strength back in your foot and ankle. Then, you can take it slow until you’re ready to apply full pressure to your foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old injuries may have caused scar tissue that doesn’t stretch as well as your regular muscles. A doctor or physical therapist can help you choose the right therapy and shoes that you may need to correct any pronation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Do Foot Exercises<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your feet haven’t had exercise in a while. it’s a good idea to exercise them. There are lots of exercises that can strengthen your feet and help them get stronger. Check this article for ideas. (See Article Here<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular walking<\/strong> can also be very beneficial in aiding the strengthening of your foot. If you have misaligned ankle bones, see a doctor first would be best. They can advise a good exercise program for your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure to have correctly supported feet. Your shoes<\/strong> should be specifically made for pronation or supination if you know your foot is over or under-pronated.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you just have weak feet or were born with a low arch, zero-drop shoes <\/a>may be one way to help activate more muscles in your feet. A shoe with a wide toe box can activate the toes and help strengthen muscles while you walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can allow your feet to get stronger and gain muscle support over time. If your bones naturally don’t create an arch, then having strong muscles in your feet can help create some support.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Stretch Your Feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, the muscles in our feet can get tight over time. This can shorten the normal length<\/strong> of the muscle and start to pull the bones out of alignment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may need to stretch your feet regularly<\/strong> depending on the type of exercise you do regularly and the type of consistent strain you put your feet under.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, you’ll need to learn proper techniques<\/strong> to stretch your foot<\/a> the correct way for the pronation problem you have. A physical therapist should be able to help with the stretching and give you exercises and stretching techniques to use for your situation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you find out how to stretch because stretching the wrong way can cause more problems.    <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Get The Right Shoes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can get shoes that can help with supination and pronation. They are called by different names, but if you show up to a store and tell them about your foot, they should be able to get you shoes designed to address your foot type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n