Everybody Pronates

“Pronation” is a term that podiatrists like Dr. Megan L. Oltmann and Dr. Craig B. Frey of Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland toss around to talk about the way your foot strikes the ground when you walk.

When a patient comes into our podiatry practice complaining of foot pain, depending on their specific complaint we might begin by taking a look at the way they walk and how their foot pronates. Feet naturally roll inward when we walk and the natural arch of our foot flattens out with each step. But sometimes the mechanism goes a bit wrong. So we’re going to be looking for evidence of overpronation or underpronation.

Overpronation means that with each step, the foot rolls inward too far and the arch of the foot is flattening out too much.

Underpronation means the arch doesn’t sufficiently flatten out, which over time will put extra stress on the outside of the foot.

Overpronation or underpronation can be the root cause of a host of problems including

• flat feet
• plantar fasciitis
• corns and calluses
• Achilles tendinitis
• pain above the feet, including the shin, knees, or hips
• in children, bowed legs

How do you know if you’ve got pronation issues?

One way to tell if your pronation is off is to take a look at your shoes’ wear patterns. If the soles of your shoes are worn down mostly on the inner side, you may be overpronating. Shoes that are worn down on the outside of the sole can indicate underpronation.

An even better way to tell is to get to the bottom of any foot pain by making an appointment with Dr. Frey or Dr. Oltmann at our state-of-the-art office in Solon, Ohio. We can analyze your gait and put into motion the proper correction for any pronation issues that may be causing your pain, including

• custom-made orthotics to support your foot exactly where it needs it
• a recommendation for shoes that provide the proper stability and motion control for your condition
• physical therapy

For prompt treatment and pain relief from pronation issues, give us a call at (440) 903-1041 or make an appointment online.