Take a look at your shoes. The ones that are most well-worn. Go ahead, we’ll wait while you inspect the soles and make note of where they are worn. Now, compare your shoes to the shoes in the image below and join us as we discuss what the areas of your soles that are worn mean about your gait and potential problems.
Runners talk a lot about step, strike, gait, and stride because all the components greatly affect efficiency and injury potential. Pronation is a natural motion of your foot during walking and running. Your gait shows a pattern of neutral pronation, overpronation, or supination and which injuries you may be more prone to.
Normal
Normal pronation is the ideal step or gait because it promotes even disbursement of stress throughout your body on the structures that are designed to absorb it. During normal midline pronation, all of the toes assist in push-off while the sole of the foot is facing the rear of your body and is not tilted so the sole is facing either inward or outward. Beginning when your heel strikes the ground, the arch of your foot flattens and cushions the shock of impact. During landing, your foot should begin to roll outward. The arch then rises and stiffens to provide stability as the foot rolls upward and back away from the ground. Normal pronation reduces the risk of injury by keeping muscles and joints in line and properly distributing energy.
Overpronation
Overpronation is common in those with flat feet or fallen arches, although, not all people with flat feet overpronate, and not all overpronators have flat feet. Some common causes of overpronation include obesity and pregnancy. Overpronation is the notable inward rotation of the ankles. Overpronation can cause an instability in the foot and puts a lot of strain on the tendons and muscles in the shin and calf and can lead to shin splints or ankle and knee injuries. Overpronators tend to experience more plantar fasciitis and knee, hip, and back pain. Overpronation ranges from slight to severe, and injuries usually correspond in severity. To correct overpronation, you can invest in arch supports or corrective shoes, or focus on retraining your step. Shock absorbing shoe inserts can help distribute shock more evenly to reduce your risk of injury.
Supination
Supination is quite the opposite of overpronation and occurs when there is a slight outward roll of the ankles. This tends to happen more in people with very high arches and is not nearly as common as overpronation. Tight or rigid shoes, or continuously wearing shoes that are worn out or have no arch support can cause a person to supinate. Because the stride occurs more on the outside of the foot, the entire weight of the body is put on the more boney parts of the foot resulting in shin splints, calluses, bunions, and pain in the heels, ankles, and knees.
Americule’s JMAC designed our shock-absorbing insoles to offer comfort and support in any footwear. Whether you run, walk, or stand all day, the tapered polymer insoles help cushion your feet and absorb the shock of impact so you can stand longer, walk taller, and run harder. At work, at play, all day, JMAC insoles are for every sole. Shop online today.
