What is the Difference Between Pronation and Supination?

In our daily lives, Many people don't realize that how they walk or run may directly affect their health. Pronation and supination are two common gait problems. Whether you are an athlete or an ordinary person, understanding your gait and choosing the right shoes or insoles to adjust it is the key to staying healthy and improving your athletic performance.
Do you know what pronation and supination are?What are their effects on gait and physical health?This article will explore the concepts, symptoms, and potential problems of pronation and supination in depth.

What does pronation look like?

Pronation refers to the inward rolling movement of the foot during gait. When walking or running, the inside of the foot contacts the ground more, which may cause the knee to buckle inward and the inside of the sole to wear faster, especially the inside of the shoe.
Normal pronation:Slight inversion, the sole naturally contacts the ground.
Excessive pronation:Excessive inversion, resulting in excessive stretching of the foot and misalignment of the joints.

What does supination look like?

Supination refers to the phenomenon that the foot rolls outward excessively during gait, and the outside of the foot is worn. Especially when running, patients with high arches are prone to external rotation, causing ankle and knee problems.
Foot eversion:The toes and heels face outward, increasing the pressure on the outside.
Due to the lack of sufficient internal rotation, the impact cannot be effectively absorbed when the foot lands.

How to determine whether you are pronation or supination?

Wet foot method
Wet your feet → stand on paper or mat → observe the footprint.
Pronation:More contact on the inside, the footprint is wide.
Supination:More contact on the outside, the footprint is narrow.
Shoe wear method
Observe the wear of the shoes you are wearing now.
Pronation:The inside of the sole is severely worn.
Supination:The outside of the sole is obviously worn.
Get an assessment
You can go to a professional store or use a professional gait analysis instrument to check your feet to help you get more accurate results.

How to correct pronation and supination?

Correcting pronation
Choosing shoes and insoles:Choose shoes with stability and insoles with strong support. PCSsole's universal arch support insole provides a firm arch fit and a deep heel cup to reduce impact, improve stability and balance, and relieve foot pain. It is your best choice.
Corrective exercise:You should strengthen the plantar muscles, ankle stability, and leg strength training at normal times.
Posture and gait adjustment:Pay attention to the angle of foot placement during daily walking to avoid excessive inversion.
Correcting supination
Choosing shoes and insoles:Choose shoes with shock absorption. The insole should provide sufficient comfort and arch support. PCSsole's universal comfort cushioning insole is designed for people with foot health problems (such as high arches, flat feet, and arch collapse). It can protect your feet when exercising, standing, or walking, thereby enhancing all-day comfort.
Flexibility training of calves and ankles: Pay attention to strengthening exercises, such as ankle rotation exercises and leg stretching.
Correct gait:Pay attention to step control when walking or exercising to avoid excessive eversion.

Is flat foot pronation or supination？

What is a flat foot?
A flat foot refers to a lowered or missing arch. People with flat feet often have excessive inward rotation because the sole does not have enough support.
How to treat flat feet?
Improve foot shape through corrective insoles, arch support, and targeted exercises.

How to correct supination when walking?

What causes supination?
Supination is usually caused by high arches or unstable ankles. Understanding the cause will help to better correct it.
How to choose shoes to correct supination
Choose running shoes with good flexion and arch support. Use insoles with pads, especially during exercise, to reduce lateral pressure.
Foot exercise
Try a variety of effective foot exercises, such as toe grabbing a towel, toe grabbing the ground when standing, and other exercises.
Improve gait
Change the way you walk, pay attention to the placement of your feet, and avoid the eversion of the foot.

Don't neglect your feet

It is recommended that you check your gait regularly and take appropriate corrective measures to prevent long-term problems in the feet, knees, and other joints. Whether it is choosing the right insoles, and shoes, or strengthening the strength and stability of the feet through targeted exercises, every step of correcting your gait is crucial.
PCSsole provides a variety of functional arch support series insoles. If you don't know how to choose the right insoles for you, please go to our insole finder, which will quickly help you find the right and comfortable insoles.