Stepping: Pronated or Supinated?
It is extremely rare for someone's feet and footfall to be perfectly balanced and weigh the same. Some people have feet that turn noticeably inward or outward, while others have a more subtle inward or outward weight distribution.
It's hard to see unless you look at the soles of your shoes or have your feet scanned for analysis.
Pronation vs Supination
Source: Healthline
When body weight is placed on the outside of the foot when walking or running, this is described as supination . When weight is placed more on the inside of the foot, it is called pronation .
In case of supination , there is extreme wear on the outside of the shoe, reflecting the stress of stepping on the sole of the shoes. People with supination generally have pain in the ankles, shins, discomfort in the heels and soles of the feet and can form calluses and bunions on the outside of the foot. People with supination tend to experience more ankle sprains and injuries because it is easier to roll outward when walking or running.
On the other hand, the pronation is much more common . Pronation is natural and occurs because the feet naturally roll inward when walking. It can become a problem in cases of extreme pronation, which means the feet roll excessively. This causes the arches of the feet to flatten over time. Excessive pronation is evident in uneven wear on the inside of the shoe's sole. People with excessive pronation are more likely to experience plantar fasciitis, knee, hip and/or back pain.
Causes
Although identifying supination or pronation is easy, pinpointing the exact cause can be difficult. First, many people are born with feet that do one or the other due to high or low arches or legs that are seemingly unequal (which may be a result of hip alignment rather than a difference in leg length).
However, injuries can also cause problems with supination or pronation, especially when the discomfort is ignored. When the body feels pain, this should be an alert to the need to correct the problem. Ignoring symptoms such as sprains, sprains, pain in the legs, hips, knees or back can worsen the injury.
A third possible cause could be lifestyle. People who remain standing for long periods of time can compensate for the position and adopt a supinated or pronated stance to try to find comfort and relief. Excessive running and being overweight can also contribute to a pronated or supinated gait.
Treatment
The good news is that treating supination or pronation can be corrected, which can help reduce discomfort and susceptibility to injury in the long term. The most effective treatment for supination or pronation is an orthopedic insole fitted to the shoes.
