What is pronation, underpronation and overpronation?

Pronation

Our body has its own system for absorbing shocks, and that is what is called pronation. It is a rolling motion that occurs when we place our foot on the ground, typically starting on the outside of the heel before rolling forward towards the big toe. It is an important function in our body designed to distribute the load that the foot is subjected to. 

The fact that we overpronate or oversupinate is usually something we are born with, and it is important to remember that this is completely natural. For some reason, some people are born stronger in certain ways and in certain areas than others, which can lead to problems. Various injuries can result from wearing the wrong footwear for the type of pronation you have. One way to find out what suits you best is to try walking in different shoes and feel what is most comfortable for your feet. 

Overpronation

With overpronation, you will notice that the inside of the foot near the ankle has an excessive inward movement when it touches the ground while walking or running. However, when you are comfortably seated, the overpronated foot will look completely normal. 

In other words, the change in the foot is only visible when weight is applied to it, and the situation of the foot changes less when there is support under the foot, such as soft surfaces like carpets. The problem with overpronation is the amount of time the foot remains in the pronation movement and how deep it goes; this prevents the foot from continuing the movement and recovering to supinate. 

Every step we take while overpronating leads to an imbalance in the body and excessive wear on tendons, joints, muscles, and ligaments. 

Typical symptoms that can be experienced with overpronated feet include: 

• Plantar fasciitis / heel spurs
• Achilles tendinitis
• Pain in the sole of the foot
• Back problems 
• Shin splints
• Knee pain

How to check at home if you might have overpronation in your foot will be explained later in the article. 

Underpronation

With underpronation, your feet can be stiff and have a higher instep and arch. In some cases, it may be that only the heel and toes come into contact with the ground. The load will then be exaggerated compared to those with more normal pronation. This means that a person with underpronated feet sorely needs a good amount of cushioning to prevent the load from causing injury. 

The reason for your feet having supination is usually congenital, but it can also be caused by a weakness in certain muscles in the foot, ankle, or leg - the weakness can be a result of: 

• Incorrect footwear
• A misalignment in the body
• Or an injury that you have sustained in the foot that created problems for muscles or tendons

An excessively supinated foot will not be able to adapt to the surface it walks on, and the muscles and bones around the foot have to work harder to maintain balance. Over time, this will create tensions in various parts of the body, including calves, knees, hips, and back - and will lead to injuries. To put it simply, it throws a wrench in the whole body’s mechanism, causing misalignments and injuries if the problem is not corrected. 

Just like with overpronation, you will be able to notice if you have this type of pronation when you put weight on the foot. Unlike overpronation, those who underpronate will see the foot angle outward. 

What you can do:

• Use shoes that provide excellent cushioning and possibly extra support in the longitudinal arch of your foot.
• Try to avoid high-heeled shoes and shoes with thinner soles. If you have shoes with thin soles, buy an insole that can provide a little extra support.
• Try to avoid walking and running on hard surfaces like concrete floors, as the foot prefers softer surfaces. This is to facilitate the stimulation of the foot's muscles and joint function. If you work in a hospital or similar places with hard surfaces, invest in shoes with good cushioning to prevent the heel from wearing out. 

How to check it yourself 

Guidance for overpronation:

A quick and easy way to see if you overpronate is to look at the underside of the shoes you usually wear and see where you have the most wear. If most of the wear is on the inside of the sole near the heel and near your big toe, there is a high likelihood that you overpronate. You might also notice that your shoes lean inward if you look at them on a flat surface. 

The next step is to take off your socks and look at your bare feet. Do you have a low arch or flat feet? This could be another sign that you overpronate.

Those who overpronate also notice several symptoms;

• Pain in the heel or arch of the foot
• Flat feet
• Calluses
• Pain in the knee, hip, or back
• Hammer toe 

Another interesting way to check if you overpronate is to look at the front of your leg. Follow the bone from the knee all the way to your ankle. If it leans towards the inside of your foot, you might be overpronating. Ideally, the bone should lead to the little toe or the toe next to it.

Guidance for underpronation:

You can use the following methods to check at home if you have excessive supination, another word for underpronation, in your feet:

Just like with overpronation, you can check your shoes for where you experience the most wear. Normal wear on shoes goes from the outer edge of the heel towards the middle of the shoe. If instead, it turns out that your shoe has more wear on the outer edge of the sole, you might be someone who supinates. 

The next step is again to take off your socks and look at your bare feet. But this time, we want you to wet your feet. Do this and, with your full weight, step on a surface where you can easily see your footprint; you can also use brown or dark paper, or something similar, so that it becomes visible.

If about half of the arch of your foot is visible, you probably have normal pronation. If, however, very little or no sign of the arch is visible, you probably have underpronation. 

Running shoes and overpronation

Those with overpronation in the foot will prefer shoes with good cushioning and support to counteract excessive stress and prevent injuries. Our running shoes have been designed with excellent cushioning and provide the support your feet need if you overpronate. Check out our running shoes!

Want to read more about shoes suitable for training? Check out our article on how to find the right shoes for work and training!