Over-Pronation

Over-Pronation is a term applied to the foot and refers to what happens as a person is walking. Does the foot hit the ground in a perfectly balanced position, or does most of the body weight end up on the medial aspect of the foot? If the weight is supported primarily on the medial part of the foot, the ankle has turned to make this happen – and it’s called over-pronation. When the ankle turns, there is a sharp angle at the location of where the foot meets the legs. Turning the foot inward more than 15 degrees during walking or running is the actual definition of over-pronation. When it occurs, the big toe and heel get more wear and tear than what they’re supposed to and as a result, are more prone to injury. Observing the feet from the back, someone who over-pronates the feet will appear to have feet that are more laterally deviated than someone with normal pronation. This means that the big toe doesn’t point straight forward, but instead, it points off to the side. Cause The cause of Over-Pronation is primarily flat feet. Thus, anything that contributes to the creation of arch instability or falling arches, such as walking barefoot or in shoes that are improper fits for the foot, especially shoes with a negative heel, where the heel is lower than the rest of the shoe, or shoes that are flat without any support. It’s also possible that someone could have developed as a child without developing arches and the feet remain flat. This will lead to over-pronation. Babies are born with flat feet and as they begin to grow, their arches in their feet begin to form. Treatment & Prevention Orthotic Arch Supports create the proper ergonomics needed for the body to walk and run without injury is essential to treat this condition. Once an over-pronated foot is placed in shoes with these orthotics and arch supports, an immediate difference is felt. The person will not feel as much fatigue and the feet will not be painful or burning. If the person is a runner or walks long distances, then they will be able to increase their distance without additional fatigue. Orthotics may also include heel support since someone who over-pronates the foot does not stress the heel equally in all directions as it normally should happen in someone with a normal 15 degree pronated foot. Prevention of over-pronation symptoms is possible by looking at the way one’s shoes wear. If the shoes wear at the lateral heel and big toe positions more than any other part of the sole, the person is over-pronating the foot during walking. Check out our Orthotic Arch Supports, Flat-Feet/Low Ached Orthotics, or Childrens Orthotic Arch Supports.