HealthyFeetBlog.com

Next time you’re in a busy restaurant, at a park or a crowded mall, sit back and watch how people walk. (Try not to be creepy when you do this.) I guarantee you will notice that some people walk differently than the rest.

Do you see anyone whose feet roll outward, so the people are walking on the outer sides of their feet? Do you see anyone whose feet roll inward, so their feet are bent and ankles almost to the floor? Do your feet make either of these movements? Where and how one’s feet hit the ground (pronation) can help pinpoint potential injuries, the type of foot arch and which shoes will be the most comfortable.

Pronation is our foot’s natural movement to absorb the impact of hitting the ground when walking or running. Note that Pronation has nothing to do with being pigeon toed or having duck feet. There are three types of Pronation: Normal Pronation, Overpronation and Underpronation (Supination). Normal Pronation is – you guessed it – ideal.

When a person with Normal Pronation walks, his or her heel hits the ground first, then the foot slightly rolls inward and then pushes off evenly at the toe area. The impact is distributed throughout the foot and the entire foot supports the body. This makes walking easy and pain-free. These normal pronators have a healthy gait cycle and a normal arch.

If a person has Overpronation, the outside of the heel hits the ground first, then the foot rolls in too much and the two biggest toes are mainly responsible for pushing off the ground. The impact isn’t absorbed evenly, so the foot and ankle can’t stabilize and support the body properly. Overpronation is common in people with low arches, flat feet or who are overweight. They are more susceptible to feet and ankle injuries. Walking and running can be painful for overpronators.

The least common type of pronation is called Underpronation, which occurs when the outside of the heel makes the first contact with the ground, but there isn’t enough inward movement of the foot, so the foot rolls along its narrow, outside edge and the smallest toes push off. The weight is not distributed efficiently throughout the foot and the smaller parts of the foot has to take the impact. Supinators (underpronators) are more vulnerable to getting knee and back injuries than others, because the shock from hitting the ground on such small and weak areas of the foot travels up through the legs.

You can tell what type of pronator someone is by observing them walk or run. If their feet tend to roll and bend inward, then they are an overpronator, but if their feet tend to roll and bend outward, then they are an underpronator. Those with normal arches or those wearing footwear with biomechanical correction will move with normal pronation.

See What Type of Arch You Have With This Easy Test:

1. Get a grocery store-type paper bag
2. Get the bottom of your left foot wet
3. Step on the paper bag with your left foot and put your weight on it as if you were walking
4. Look at your footprint
5. If your footprint is in the shape of a C, with half your arch showing, then you have a normal arch
6. If you see most of your footprint, then you have flat feet (low arches)
7. If you only see your toes, top of your foot and your heel (with a space in between the top and bottom of your foot), then you have high arches

If you are an overpronator, you should seriously consider buying an arch support insole or supportive footwear to help keep your body balanced and pain-free. Our Orthaheel sandals were designed by a podiatrist to reduce pronation, therefore increasing arch support, stability and improving posture. Orthaheel sandals can relieve heel, ankle and back pain, as well.

If you’re a Normal Pronator, you want shoes, sandals or insoles designed with:

• Moderate arch support
• Neutral-cushioned shoes

If you’re an Overpronator, you want shoes, sandals or insoles designed with:

• Contoured and firm arch support
• Deep heel cup
• Dual-density midsoles
• Motion control
• Stability Shoes

If you’re an Underpronator, you want shoes, sandals or insoles designed with:

• Neutral-cushioned shoes
• Soft midsole
• No stability or motion-control shoes

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