When referring to the feet, supination and pronation are used to describe a person’s natural weight distribution during gait: supination and pronation mean that your weight is more distributed to the outside and inside of your feet, respectively [1]. A telltale sign that your feet are supinated is uneven wear on the outside part of the sole. The opposite is true for pronation [1].
Significance and Symptoms
So, what is the significance of these terms? Well, supination and pronation are vital for proper foot movement and shock absorption [2]. Ideally, you do not want your feet to be too supinated or pronated because you want an even weight distribution on your feet [1]. Excess supination, places stress on the outer foot and ankles, which can result in calluses, bunions, pain in the heels, sprains, and shin splints [1,2, 3]. Excess pronation, also referred to as overpronation, diminishes the arch in your foot and can cause pain in your arch, heel, ankle, shin, knee, hip, and even back [1,3]. This movement can also make a person more susceptible to conditions such as plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis [2].
Causes and Risk Factors:
Genetic: People who are born with uneven leg lengths or an excess arch tend to supinate or pronate excessively [1]. Moreover, people with flat feet tend to become overpronated [2,4].
Weak, underdeveloped, and misaligned muscles [2]
Injury
Overuse
Standing on hard surfaces
Obesity
Pegnancy
Poor fitting footwear
Here’s how we can help:
Orthotics → The Chiropodist at Qureshy Footcare Clinic completes a comprehensive biomechanical assessment and gait analysis, a volumetric 3-D scan, and sends the data to a lab that uses high-quality materials to provide you with effective orthotics.
Supportive Shoes → For both supination and pronation, shoes with sufficient cushioning, motion-control, and toe room are critical [1,2]. With too much supination it is important to have shoes that provide shock absorption and good heel support [1]. With excess pronation, it is important to get shoes with a firm midsole, strong heel counter and motion control. At Qureshy Footcare Clinic, we have partnered with Apex Foot Health Industries, one of the leading manufacturers of orthopaedic shoes, to help patients find the perfect shoe for their foot type.
Physical Therapy → The Chiropodist at Qureshy Footcare Clinic provides a thorough gait analysis and based on the results, curates a stretching and exercise routine that can help stretch and strengthen muscles that may be contributing to your pain.
Overall, supination and pronation describe one’s foot orientation. Excess supination or pronation can give rise to a multitude of issues and make a person more susceptible to injuries. Thus, it is important to check-in with specialists such as the Chiropodist at Qureshy Footcare clinic to prevent such instances.
If you have any questions, comments, or if you would like to book an appointment, please contact us via phone at (905)723-3668, via email at info@qfcclinic.com, or via our website at www.qfcclinic.com.
Happy Healthy Feet
References:
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/bone-health/whats-the-difference-between-supination-and-pronation
[3] https://stretchcoach.com/articles/pronation-supination/
[4] https://countryfootcare.com/library/general/glossary-of-podiatry-terms/
Author: Fatima Bah
Tags
#Achillestendonitis; #Apexshoes; #Arch; #Bunions; #Calluses; #Footwear; #Gaitanalysis; #Heels; #Orthotics; #Plantarfasciitis; #Pronation; #Shinsplints; #Sprains; #Supination