Pronation is a term that podiatrists Heidi M. Christie, DPM and Chanda L. Day-Houts, DPM use to talk about the natural way your foot strikes the ground. It makes a difference what position your foot and ankle are in when they make contact. That position – and how your foot behaves after contact – can mean the difference between healthy feet and feet that cause you pain.
There are three types of pronation:
- If you’re walking “normally” (and many, many people don’t), here’s what happens:
- Your foot hits the ground heel first.
- Then your weight is transferred to the midfoot, rolling from the outside inward.
- Then your weight is distributed evenly between the outside and inside edges of your foot.
- Finally, you push off using your big toe.
When your foot is able to distribute your weight evenly like this, your pronation is neutral. This type of pronation is not likely to cause irritations or injuries.
- Overpronation occurs when your foot rolls too far inward. Too much weight is put on the inside of the foot. Your arches collapse. Your ankles roll inward. More stress and strain is put on various parts of the foot and can cause heel pain, tendonitis, shin splints, stress fractures, ankle strain – and even pain further up in the body such as your knees, hips, and back.
- Underpronation refers to (you can probably guess!) a foot that doesn’t roll inward enough. The outside of the foot bears the brunt of your weight, putting you at risk for injuries such as plantar fasciitis and shin splints.
If the way you pronate is causing problems in your feet, ankles, or lower limbs, expert podiatrists Dr. Christie and Dr. Day-Houts at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists are trained to find it. We can help you get a walking or running shoe specifically designed to fix your pronation problem. We may also recommend custom orthotics to correct your under- or overpronation.
We want to get to the bottom of your foot pain. Call our office in Montgomery, Alabama at (334) 396-3668 or make an appointment online.