Underpronation/ Supination

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alireba88
alireba88 Posts: 21
in Fitness and Exercise
I've always felt that when doing any sort of walking or jogging, the outside of my foot takes most of the impact, so I've been researching the topic of underpronation; I.e. when your foot does not roll inward enough on impact and you push off of the ground on the outside of your foot and your little toes. I don't know, "officially", if I overpronate, but I will say that my shoes ALWAYS wear out on the outsides and whenever I do more than 5 miles of walking a day, the poor bones above my little toes ache like crazy!

I was wondering if any MFPers out there are dealing with overpronation? If so, does anyone have any reccomendations for exercises that may eventually help correct an out-of-wack gait? Good shoe reccomendations are welcome, also!

Replies

  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. Up until a couple years ago, it didn't give me any real problems. And then I developed tendonitis in my ankle because of it. Now I wear arch supports in my shoes to hold my foot at the right position.

    I'm sure there are shoe inserts for your situation too.
  • alireba88
    alireba88 Posts: 21
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    From what I've read, overpronation is far more common than the under variety. You've hit on exactly what I'm worried about though; I don't want to end up injuring myself and making my goal harder in the long term.

    The problem is that I dont have particularly high arches. It seems that all insoles for underpronation are made with the high-arched set in mind. And wearing said insoles makes me hate everything.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Yeah. Insole use makes life a bit more challenging. Especially in the summer. You can't put an insole inside of a sandal, and finding sandals with an arch (that aren't crazy expensive or that don't look like old lady shoes) is close to impossible.

    See if your doctor will refer you to an orthopod or a foot specialist. Try to find out exactly what's going on and what the right course of action is.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    I underpronate and land on my forefoot. I've had a couple of physical therapists get quite a chuckle watching me run on the treadmill.
    Get yourself a pair of properly fitted neutral shoes with good cushioning and be sure to replace them when they start to get worn in.
    If you run outside on the road, try to run less busy secondary roads with less traffic so that you can run further to the right - the slant of the shoulder combined with underpronating can lead to issues.
  • alireba88
    alireba88 Posts: 21
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    I'm realizing now that I'm an awful post-writer. When I say 'overpronate' in my original post I meant 'underpronate'.

    Brain fart.
  • chub_nugget
    chub_nugget Posts: 9
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    I also underpronate when I run (not when I walk though) and my arches are unnaturally high. These issues combined gave me bone spurs on the back of my heels (painful!). I was fitted for a pair of supportive neutral running shoes (Mizunos) and used SuperFeet inserts. This combination was a godsend for my feet.

    I highly recommend going to a specialty running store where they can watch you run and determine what would be best. However, if this is not possible, then I suggest trying the SuperFeet inserts with a pair of neutral shoes.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I have the opposite problem; my ankles roll inward. This has resulted in many, many sprained ankles and skinned knees. Ankles rolling in or out, properly fitted running shoes make a world of a difference. Get fitted at a store that makes you walk and jog around the store barefoot.

    Next, talk to a physical therapist/specialist. There are many ankle strengthening exercises for people like me who roll inwards. I don't know about rolling outward, but I imagine they could give you some great advice. I don't know if it's a muscle weakness/overcompensation like with me, or if it's more of a balance issue, or even a bone issue.
  • alireba88
    alireba88 Posts: 21
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    Thanks for the tips, all!

    Right now, I'm walking at a pretty slow pace (3mph usually) and I just got a new pair of Adidas on sale that seem to be ok. At the very least they're better than those darn Tigers I was working with. But I will be sure to see what specialty running stores are in my area and get fitted before I take the intensity up!
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I do both...I'm special like that. I ended up getting sent for custom inserts for my running shoes. I would strike hard on the outside of my foot, and then roll all the way over and my arch would collapse. I'd suggest getting it checked out - I tried to manage it with just getting fitted for running shoes, but that wasn't enough and I ended up tearing a tendon from the strain.
  • jussy123
    jussy123 Posts: 22 Member
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    I agree that you should check out the specialty running stores to get properly fitted. Bring a worn pair of running shoes so they can see the wear pattern.

    I also have the same issue. I have very flat feet, and I supinate when I walk and run, wearing out the outsides of my soles. Like you said in a previous post, it is an unusual combination of problems to have. I have had great success using Saucony. (I believe the specific type is called pro grid) I also have had insoles made, and I used to run with those, but I find it more comfortable with the regular padding in the shoes. For me, Saucony was far better than Nike or Adidas.

    I have been very lucky in that I have not had an injury. I have been running for a couple of years, but I don't run long distances (just 5K around 3x/week).

    Good luck!
  • Charlotte012
    Charlotte012 Posts: 139 Member
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    Hi there ! I have the same problem : i underpronate but I have a very low arch. This is uncommon in the general community, but I think that maybe us overweight people tend more likely to have flat foot because of our weight?? I actually don't know... anyhow I would say that you should be careful in running stores, because they tend to look at the weight + low arch and suggest a shoe without appropriate support. This is what I got suggested in the past and got injured at my ankles. I now run with Asics gel cumulus and I am super happy with them.
  • duksynme
    duksynme Posts: 1 Member
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    I have moderate supination and I have had great success with the Nike Pegasus 30.

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