Over-pronation Explained - Brooklyn Podiatrist - Joseph Stuto, DPM

Over-pronation Explained - Brooklyn Podiatrist - Joseph Stuto, DPM

The foot pronates as a natural reaction to its role as a shock absorbing structure. It also helps you push evenly from the front of your foot. Pronation is considered normal however, over-pronation can lead to foot problems.

 

Over-pronation occurs when your foot rolls inward more than its normal range of motion and when the shock isn’t absorbed properly and efficiently. In this case, the foot and the ankle can experience trouble in terms of stabilizing your body and can even lead to an injury. When this happens consult a podiatrist. Dr. Joseph Stuto is a podiatrist who specializes in helping people with foot conditions.

 

You can tell that you over-pronate your foot by simply doing these steps:

 

1.       When standing, look at your foot and check if you have a visible arch. If an arch is still visible, then rest assured that your foot is okay. However, if you can no longer see an arch and all parts of your sole touches the floor, your feet is over-pronated.

2.       Do the wet foot test. This test is quite simple. Just wet your feet and take a walk on a pavement, then check your footprints afterward. A positive over-pronated footprint will make it hard for you to distinguish your rear foot from your forefoot.

3.       Check your running shoes and if you can see that the inside of the sole is worn out then you must have an over-pronated foot.

4.       The best way to check if your foot is normal or over-pronated is to visit your podiatrist. Your podiatrist might request you on a treadmill to do a full gait analysis or he may assess your condition using force plates to measure the forces and angles of your foot.

 

Now if you have confirmed that you have an over-pronated foot, you might wish to correct the condition before it leads you to injuries. Several ways to correct it includes:

 

·         Use an extra-medial support. When buying a running shoes, you should check the inside of the sole and choose the one with a hard material in the middle as this will help support your weight and prevents your foot from flattening or rolling.

·         Consult a podiatrist or a sports therapist to have a gait analysis of your running style.

·         Have an orthotic device fitted. You may consult your podiatrist for this one to ensure that the device fits you properly though you can buy it off the rack if you want to.

 

Pain is an early indication of a foot injury.   At our practice located in Brooklyn, NY, we specialize in helping people find relief from foot pain.  To schedule an appointment call 718-624-7537.  

 

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