Welcome Back to Walking

Today we’re covering one of the complications some struggle with when they attempt to have walking as their fitness routine. Over Pronation and Over Supination are two issues which we will delve into now.

You’re not alone.

When you have a body difference that makes things harder, it often can make you feel self-doubt and sometimes loathing. Most of the time these issues are simply challenges to overcome. Between 15 and 30% of people have minor to more severe overpronation problems and somewhere between 2 and 8% of people have mild to severe oversupination. Neither of these are likely your fault. They generally are a combination of genetics and foot training from a young age.

The worst thing to do is ignore these problems and pretend you don’t need to make changes. They can lead to other physical impairments if allowed to go unchecked for years on end.

So what is Overpronation?

The human foot is a delicately designed area of the body. With each step your foot is meant to go through a series of movements that will keep you balanced and distribute weight efficiently. When you are walking  correctly the working foots action goes like this:

The weight for the step and momentum starts on the outside of your foot and, as your foot accepts full weight, your foot should roll in and distribute the pressure to the inner most side of the foot. It should be a graceful sideways roll you never really notice.

Overpronation means you generally put very little or no weight to the outside of the foot and skip right ahead to walking more inside. In severe cases this can lead to a more knees touching stance, sometimes called knee knocking.

With overpronation you should notice the inside of your shoes wear more quickly than the center or outside. With a more normal gait, you should notice fairly even wear.

When your gait is affected by this you may notice you have very low to flat arches. Most toddlers have excessive pronation as the arch doesn’t fully form until around age 5.

How about Oversupination?

Oversupination is the opposite of overpronation. This means when you’re walking most of your weight stays on the outside of your foot instead of rolling inside. I actually have this issue myself. It is rarer than it’s counterpoint so harder to find shoes and insoles that really help. Oversupination is actually the rougher of the two on your joints and can lead to more twisted ankles, knee complication and pain.

With oversupination it means your foot is less flexible and the weight of each step is primarly placed on the outermost edge of your foot. If your oversupination is more mild it is much easier to correct and if caught fairly early shouldn’t cause any long term issues.

This foot condition is caused by high arches and is almost always genetic. It can lead to a more bowlegged stance.

Are there ways to fix either of these problems?

Yes.

Those ways vary depending on severity of the issue. If your gait is only mildly over pronating you likley can just wear shoes designed specifically for that and it will greatly help. There are also insoles.

Best simple help for overpronation:

• Make sure the shoes fit properly for both length and width. Make sure your largest toe is not overly crowded.
• Shoes that offer arch support are helpful
• Insoles that offer a slight rise to the arch or the inside of the foot can help

Best simple help for oversupination:

• Do not wear shoes without a full enclosure (Flip flops, slip ons without heel enclosure)
• Shoes that are more flat generally will help more than high arched shoes.
• Make sure your shoes are properly fitting. Oversupination often leads to wider feet. Your little toes may end up with calluses if they constantly rub against the side of the shoes.
• Supination inserts can be helpful, especially for aiding shoes into lasting longer.

If you have either of these issues to a severe degree a podiatrist is likely to be a good resource for you to see what they recommend for your issues.

Is there anything I recommend?

Before I get into that, I just want to let you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you happen to purchase from links at Welcomebacktowalking.com I may make a small commission.

I’ve struggled with moderate oversupination all of my life I have learned what works for me. Hundreds of different shoes and inserts have been tried over the years. I also have friends who have mild overpronation. One of them recommended a fairly cheap insole to me years ago. It is designed to be able to help with either issue.

I gave it a try. It actually helps with twisted ankles and sprains greatly for me. When I regularly wear them my knees tend to bother me less, as well.

They usually last me 3-4 months of walking 3-5 times a week plus normal walking errands like shopping. They come in packs of 3 pairs. So, I only have to replace them once a year unless I use them in multiple pairs of shoes. In that case you may need 2 or 3 sets to last you the year.

They have a mild adhension that usually stays put unless you unstick them more than once or twice.

Dr. Foot’s Supination & Over-Pronation Corrective Shoe Inserts offer good support and also help wick away moisture.

Just so you know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you happen to purchase from links at Welcomebacktowalking.com I may make a small commission.

It gives just the right support to help redirect your gait.

They are just under half an inch thick and inexpensive enough I didn’t feel bad trying it on a whim. If you’re interested in giving them a go, feel free to check them out on Amazon.

So, I hope this was informative to help you understand about these foot complications. If you have any questions please leave a comment and I’ll certainly do my best to help.

Can’t wait to see you strolling along,

Kimmie