Do you consistently have a callus on the inside of your big toe? Do you feel extra strain on your ankle, shin or knees when walking or running? Does the wear pattern on the bottom of your shoes cause them to wear-out early? Do you experience chronic foot pain or even pain in other areas of your body that’s just become a way of life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an overpronator.
What Is Pronation?
Pronation is a normal function of the foot that cushions the foot and keeps it protected from hard impact and uneven ground surface. It’s a natural movement of the foot as it rolls inward to distribute the force of impact of the ground as you run. It’s critical for proper shock absorption.
Normal pronation occurs as the outside part of the heel makes initial contact with the ground, the foot rolls inward about 15%, comes in complete contact with the ground, and then pushes off evenly from the front of the foot.
Overpronation occurs when the inward motion of the ankle bone is excessive and goes past the healthy point of natural motion.
Are You An Overpronator?
You can usually get a sense of whether or not you’re an overpronator by simply watching yourself run or having someone else watch the way you run.
OTHER WAYS TO DETECT IF YOU OVERPRONATE ARE:
Look at the soles of your shoes – people who overpronate have distinct wear patterns. You’ll see more wear on the inner side of the heel and forefoot of your athletic shoes. Also look for “shoe tilt” on your non-athletic shoes. For example, stand a pair of your boots on a table with the heels facing you. If they tilt inward – or you can visibly see the worn side of the heel – it’s a good sign of overpronation. When checking your shoes, make sure they are shoes that you have worn regularly for 3 months or more.
Check your posture in the mirror – standing in front of a full-length mirror, look closely at your legs, knees and ankles. Generally, people with knees that are very close together or that touch while standing are often overpronators.
Have a shoe expert watch you walk and run – the staff at running shoe stores are trained to spot overpronation and can recommend the right type of motion controlled shoe to help you get better stability.
Visit a podiatrist – if you think you’re overpronating or that you have other foot problems causing your foot pain, then it’s best to consult with a qualified foot specialist. A podiatrist understands the biomechanics of the feet and can determine if your pronation is normal or abnormal and the real cause, which is often foot misalignment.
How Do You Treat Overpronation?
Foot misalignment is often an issue people don’t realize they have, but it contributes to many foot problems and overpronation is a surefire sign you have misaligned feet. Your foot is out of alignment because of the collapse of the ankle onto the heel.
There is an effective treatment called HyProCure® that can bring you relief by correcting this misalignment. It’s a minimally invasive procedure – meaning it’s done by making a very small incision — that places a titanium stent into the naturally occurring space between the ankle bone and heel bone called the sinus tarsi. This keeps the talus – the bone above the sinus tarsi – in a stable position as nature intended, and keeps your ankle bone from sliding forward and off your heel bone, helping your foot pain.
An added benefit is that once your feet are in alignment the rest of your body will also be in its natural alignment.
What Happens If You Ignore Overpronation?
If not addressed, overpronation can lead to painful foot problems such as plantar fasciitis, bunions, Achilles tendonitis, and other issues like knee, hip, and back pain. If you’d like to learn more about treating overpronation visit www.hyprocure.com.
