Runners sometimes think of pronation as something negative or harmful. However, if present in the right amount, it serves as the body’s natural shock absorber. The body responds to the physical forces encountered during walking and running by the action of pronation. When the foot strikes the ground, the arch flattens and gets longer, which enables the foot to roll inward. Without healthy pronation, we would experience many more stress-related injuries when running. To see example photos of the three types of foot pronation, please visit: Cross Country Running Shoes 101.
Neutral Pronation
An optimum foot-strike is described as neutral and results in a slight inward movement of the ankle bone when the foot is in impacts the ground. Runners with neutral pronation are naturally less likely to experience stress-related injuries, because of the foot’s efficient shock absorption capability.
About 25% of all runners have neutral pronation and can benefit from a neutral running shoe. They also can wear a shoe with mild support, but they are better off avoiding motion control shoes, and shoes designed for medium or heavy support.
Over-pronation
When the foot continues its inward roll past the neutral position, it is described as over-pronation. Although a small degree of pronation is the body’s natural means to absorb shock, too much pronation can contribute to many kinds of running injuries. Most runners exhibit over-pronation to various degrees. Usually, the over-pronating runner requires a shoe that controls excess pronation and guides the foot back along a neutral path.
- 50 to 60% of all runners display mild to moderate over-pronation, and can benefit from a support shoe.
- 20 to 30% of all runners display severe over-pronation, and can benefit from a motion control shoe.
Under-pronation (Supination)
On the other hand, not enough pronation is described as under-pronation or supination . A supinating foot usually has a rigid arch that doesn’t lengthen properly upon impact, so the fool fails to roll enough to absorb the shock. The stress of each foot-strike is instead carried through to the bones, joints, and tendons of the leg and foot. Supination causes the body to absorb shock poorly, and results in a different set of possible injuries.
Only 3% of runners naturally supinate. They can benefit from a neutral running shoe, one with flexibility and cushioning.
Corrective Shoes
Modern cross country running shoes are constructed to provide various degrees of flexibility, cushioning, and support. In the right combination, these features can help to meet each individual runner’s needs, based on correcting his or her particular type of pronation.
