Pronation
What is Pronation?
Pronation refers to the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing. It's part of the natural movement of the human body, but it differs from person to person. As your foot strikes the ground it rolls inward to absorb the shock. As it does this the arch of your foot supports, on average, three times your body weight. People who roll inward too much or not enough can experience running injuries due to less effective shock absorption - which is around 60% of runners. There are three main pronation types. Finding yours is the first step towards finding the right running Insoles.
Types of Pronation:
Normal Pronation: Pronation refers to the natural side-to-side movement of the foot as you walk or run. Your foot normally rolls a bit inward with each step.
Overpronation: When overpronation occurs, the ankle rolls too far downward and inward with each step. It continues to roll when the toes should be starting to push off. As a result, the big toe and second toe do all of the push-off and the foot twists more with each step. Overpronation is seen more often in people with flat feet, although not everyone with flat feet overpronates. This gait pattern can lead to strain on the big toe and second toe and instability in the foot. The excessive rotation of the foot leads to more rotation of the tibia in the lower leg. The result is a greater incidence of shin splints (also called medial tibial stress syndrome) and knee pain. Overpronation can also lead to excessive strain on the posterior tibialis tendon, causing shin splints and posterior tibialis tendon dysfunction in older adults. Motion-control shoes, insoles, and orthotics are designed to correct foot motion in overpronation.
Supination (Underpronation): Supination is a rolling motion to the outside edge of the foot during a step. The foot naturally supinates during the toe-off stage of your stride as the heel first lifts off the ground, providing leverage to help roll off the toes. However, with supination, the foot does not pronate enough at the toe-off stage. This results in all of the work being done by the outer edge of the foot and smaller toes, placing extra stress on the foot. Supination is seen more often in people with high, rigid arches that don't flatten enough during a stride. Supination can be associated with running injuries such as ankle injury, iliotibial band syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Shoes that are well-cushioned and flexible are best for people who supinate.
Who is likely to develop Supination?
People who have slightly flattened feet are more likely to develop overpronation. Other conditions or activities are:
Pregnancy.
Having obesity.
Running or walking on hard surfaces for long periods.
What are Supination symptoms?
Overpronation can happen if the arch is very flexible. Sometimes, people are born with flat feet. However, some conditions and activities can increase the risk of developing flat feet or weakened arches, which can lead to overpronation. Adult acquired flat foot can occur if a person:
has inflammation or damage to the tendon
has obesity
plays a high impact sport, such as basketball
has arthritis that affects the cartilage and ligaments in the foot
has an injury that affects the alignment of the joints in a foot
has a nerve problem that prevents them from feeling when the arch is collapsing, for example, due to diabetes
Overpronation can also occurTrusted Source during pregnancy but usually resolves after delivery.
What are Supination symptoms?
Overpronation can happen if the arch is very flexible. Sometimes, people are born with flat feet. However, some conditions and activities can increase the risk of developing flat feet or weakened arches, which can lead to overpronation. Adult acquired flat foot can occur if a person:
has inflammation or damage to the tendon
has obesity
plays a high impact sport, such as basketball
has arthritis that affects the cartilage and ligaments in the foot
has an injury that affects the alignment of the joints in a foot
has a nerve problem that prevents them from feeling when the arch is collapsing, for example, due to diabetes
Overpronation can also occurTrusted Source during pregnancy but usually resolves after delivery.
Diagnose and examine supination
The following techniques can help indicate excessive supination of the foot:
●Check your old shoes (shoe abrasion)
The sole of the shoe wears down from the outer edge of the heel towards the center in people with normal gaits who do not suffer from excessive supination or excessive pronation.
Supination causes abrasion only on the outer edge of the shoe sole. Therefore, the presence of abrasion on the outer edge of the shoe and the absence of abrasion in the center of the shoe can be a sign of excessive supination.
●Checking footprints on the ground
Wetting the soles of bare feet and walking on a flat surface can help diagnose gait problems. To do this test, you must perform the following steps:
● Get wet your feet
● Step slowly on the surface that shows the footprint. The best surfaces are a cement surface or a brown paper bag
● Taking the foot off the surface and checking the footprint
If half of the arch is visible on the surface, it is considered a normal foot pattern. If only a small part or none of the arch is outlined, it is considered supination.
It should be noted that this method is completely qualitative and depends entirely on the specialist who is performing the test and does not have enough accuracy.
A podiatrist or a physical therapist can diagnose this abnormality in the foot by performing a gait analysis test. It involves the person walking or running on a plantar pressure scanning platform.
People who experience one of the signs or issues of excessive supination of the foot or who notice supination following the old shoe test or the wet foot test must perform a gait analysis test under the supervision of a podiatrist or a sports therapist who is trained to diagnose and treat foot issues.
Treatment of supination:
Most people do not need treatment for flat feet, but the following options may helpTrusted Source manage pain and reduce the chance of an injury:
● choosing supportive or motion control shoes, also known as overpronation shoes
● using orthotics
● managing pain with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
● managing weight through diet and exercise, if appropriate
● surgery, in some cases
● doing exercises that strengthen the arches and muscles around them
Prevention
It is not always possible to prevent overpronation, but people can reduce its impact by using orthotics and supportive footwear. Following a recommended exercise plan may strengthen the foot and lower the risk of injury. Maintaining a healthy weight can also help reduce the risk.
What are Underpronation symptoms?
Depending on your activity level, symptoms of excessive underpronation can be subtle, for instance greater wear on the outside edges of your shoes can be a telltale sign. Most symptoms of oversupination begin to show up during high-impact sports like running, basketball, or soccer.
The most common symptoms of underpronation are pain through the arch of the foot and ball of the foot as the muscles and ligaments in the foot (especially the arch) are strained by the abnormal gait. In some cases, under pronation can also cause back pain and knee pain. Many underpronators develop calluses or bunions on the pinky toe side of the foot, since there’s too much pressure placed on this side of the foot. As a result of the feet’s abnormal mechanics, stability can become impaired, leading to more falls, rolled ankles, or sprains.
What causes underpronation?
Underpronation is commonly found in individuals with high arches which leads to a limited range of motion (pronation) in the foot as you walk.
Those with one of these foot types may have been born that way or may have acquired it over time because of genetics or injury. There is little one can do to prevent the cause of underpronation but there are things that can be done to remedy the problem.
What problems does underpronation cause?
Underpronation can cause a host of injuries to the foot and ankle. As your foot and ankle absorb excessive stress over time, underpronation can put you at risk for conditions such as:
● Ankle sprains
● Heel spurs
● Plantar fasciitis
● Shin splints
● Calluses or Bunions
Treatment for underpronation:
Underpronation is not a wholly curable condition however you can mitigate the risks of it and keep your feet healthy.
● Choose the right shoes
● Wear supportive orthotics/insoles
● Stretch regularly