What is pronation, underpronation, and overpronation?

Pronation

Our body has its own system that is meant to absorb shock and it is called pronation. It's a roll that happens when we put the foot down on the ground, and it usually starts on the outside of the heel before rolling forward towards the big toe. It is an important feature that helps to distribute the load that the foot is exposed to.

The fact that we overpronate or oversupinate is something we are usually born with, and it is important to remember that it is completely natural. For some reason, some are born stronger in certain areas than others, which can lead to problems. You can develop injuries if you use the wrong footwear for your pronation type. One way to find the right footwear is to try on different shoes and feel what is most comfortable for your feet.

Overpronation

With overpronation, you will notice that the inside of the foot at the ankle moves inward when you walk or run. When you sit relaxed, however, the overpronated foot will look completely normal.

In other words, you only see a change in the foot when it is loaded, and the situation of the foot does not change that much when there is support under the foot, such as e.g. blankets. The problem with overpronation is the time the foot stays in the pronation movement and how deep it goes; it prevents the foot from progressing to supination.

Every step we take in overpronation creates an imbalance in the body, which can lead to excessive wear and tear on tendons, joints, muscles and ligaments.

Typical symptoms of overpronation include:

• Plantar fasciitis / heel spurs
• Achilles tendinitis
• Pain in the sole of the foot
• Back pain
• Shin inflammation
• Knee pain

How you can check at home whether you have overpronation, we will explain later in the article.

Underpronation

With underpronation, your feet may be stiff and have a high instep and arch. In some cases, it may be that only the heel and toes touch the surface. The load is therefore greater compared to normal pronation. People with underpronation need good shock absorption to avoid injury.

The cause of underpronation is often congenital, but it can also be due to weakness in certain muscles of the foot, ankle or leg, which can be caused by:

• Wrong footwear
• Misalignment in the body
• An injury to the foot that has caused problems with muscles or tendons

A foot with excessive supination cannot adapt to the ground and the muscles around the foot have to work harder to maintain balance. This creates tension in the body, including calves, knees, hips and back, which can lead to injuries.

As with overpronation, underpronation can be noticed when the foot is loaded. In contrast to overpronation, the foot will angle outward with underpronation.

What you can do yourself :

• Use shoes with extra shock absorption and possibly extra support in the arch.
• Avoid shoes with high heels or thin soles. If you have thin soles, buy an insole for extra support.
• Avoid walking and running on hard surfaces such as concrete, as the feet feel better on softer surfaces.

How to check it yourself

Guide to overpronation:

A quick way to see if you are overpronating is to check the wear on your shoes. If most wear is on the inside of the sole near the heel and big toe, you may have overpronation.

The next step is to take off your socks and check your feet. Do you have low arches or flat feet? It could be a sign of overpronation.

Guide to underpronation:

You can also check your shoes for wear. With normal wear, it starts at the outer edge of the heel and moves towards the center of the sole. If there is most wear on the outside, you may have underpronation.

Next, take off your socks and wet your feet. Step on a surface where you can see your footprint. If very little of the arch is visible, you likely have underpronation.

Running shoes and overpronation

People with overpronation will prefer shoes with good shock absorption and support to counteract excessive strain and prevent injury. Our running shoes are equipped with excellent shock absorption and the support your feet need if you overpronate. Check out our running shoes here !

Do you want to read more about shoes for training? See our articleon how to find the right shoes!