How To Choose The Right Running Shoes for Overpronators
Tags: pronation, overpronation, shoes, supination, pronate
Choosing the right running shoes is a major consideration for runners. The wrong shoe can do unwanted damage to the feet and cause serious pain in other areas.
Basically, there are three types of foot motion called pronation. Pronation is a natural movement based on how the feet adapt to the surface when the foot hits the ground. A certain amount of pronation is natural, as I said, but overpronators have specific problems to consider.
Overpronation can result in several painful problems including flat feet, shin splints and hammertoe. Whether you develop any of these conditions is dependent on how severely your overpronation is and what type of shoe you wear.
If you are unsure whether you have pronation issues, here is a simple test you can do your self.
Take a piece of paper towel and lay it on the ground. Wet the bottom of your foot and step on the paper towel. An overpronated footprint will have very little arch showing. Another way is to stand still and look at your bare feet. Overpronation will cause the ankles to turn inward when bearing weight.
Also, your shoes will show wear mainly on the inside side of the shoe.
As a result of this, there are a couple of things to look at when picking out running shoes. First, consider what type of running you do. If you run every day, you may want a really good technologically advanced shoe. These are fairly expensive and are constructed with orthotically designed padding and support features. However if you are a “weekend warrior”, all you will need is a basic supportive shoe that fits properly.
Next consider how the shoe fits your foot. A good fit will leave about ½ inch between the end of the great toe and the front of the shoe. I would suggest going to a local shoe store and having one of the assistants there size you up.
Now you are ready to choose the type of running shoe. The three major points of shoe construction are stability, motion control and support. For overpronators, motion control and stability are vital features in a running shoe. Since the ankles tend to turn inward when bearing weight, stability is very important.
Motion control is needed when the feet strike the ground during running. Support is also important as it helps alleviate the formation of flat feet.
Another consideration is the shape of the shoe. Shoes are made with three distinct shapes: straight, curved or semi-curved. Overpronators need a straight shoe for optimum stability and support to avoid injury.
If you take all these factors into consideration, you should be able to get a running shoe that will help you run and live painlessly. Choosing the right
running shoe to deal with overpronation is a vital step towards future foot health.
If you think you may have serious pronation issues, talk with a podiatrist for advice.
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