The natural motion of the foot when walking or running involves a roll from the heel, across the arch, up to the toes. In overpronation the foot rolls in too far which can cause significant issues particularly for runners. So, why does overpronation occur and what can we do to prevent injuries resulting from the condition?
Every year the incidence of overpronation is increasing. Some of the possible reasons of overpronation is directly linked to our foot structure and its related issues such as flat foot or low arches. Ghani, Abd Razak, Usman & Gholizadeh (2020) in their literature show that, the structure of the foot plays very important role, in shock absorption during running as there are some structural changes that appear in the foot with flat foot (fallen arches) deformity where the feet do not offer adequate arch support leading to overpronation on every stride of run causing unstability and excessive load at the lower limbs and feet.
The shape of the foot is not the only factor that can cause overpronation. Muscle imbalance can be a contributing factor as well. Weak muscles in the hips and ankle can allow the foot to collapse under the body weight of the runner. The foot should be supported to the right amount in order to facilitate an efficient gait. If the muscles are not strong enough they will not be able to provide enough support to the foot, allowing the foot to overpronate (Karzis et al., 2017). Having strong muscles in the body is important for any form of running. In order for the foot to absorb the shock of each step, the muscles in the legs need to work together with the foot. If the muscles are not strong enough, the foot will not be able to handle the impact of each step, causing overpronation.
Footwear is also another factor that we need to take into consideration. It has been stated that how your foot moves inside the shoe will differ depending on the type of shoe that you are wearing. Also shoes that are insufficiently supportive for the foot can aggravate the overpronation condition. For instance it has been shown that many runners who suffer from this condition wear shoes that are too soft and unsupportive (de la Cruz et al., 2015). Therefore we need to get the appropriate footwear for running which can provide adequate support to the foot and maintain the foot’s biomechanical neutral position.
This problem arises especially with those runners that do not address the overpronation. They keep on running and continue to inflict damage upon their body. If the foot is overpronating, the runner is likely to suffer many types of strains and tendinitis. The tendons and ligaments are stretched because of the overpronation of the foot that results in the suffering of the runner due to the continuous pain (Malik, Kaur & Malik, 2017). Therefore, it is very important for the runner to first identify if they are suffering from overpronation of the foot.
There are a number of factors that one should be aware of as far as overpronation is concerned and understanding them can help you to tailor your training program to deal with the problems. There are also several aspects to consider when it comes to foot structure, muscle involvement and shoe design and a full appreciation of all of these will help you to deal with this condition, thereby reducing your likelihood of suffering an injury such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis and lower back problems. A study published by Moezy, Malaie and Dadgostar in 2016 revealed that pronation was altered in overpronation and that these changes alter not only the function of the feet but can have a carry over effect up into the knees and hips as was observed by the research team in their 2013 study.
Biomechanics of Foot Pronation and Its Impact on the Body The way your feet pronate when you run has a large effect on the rest of your body. Overpronation is a pronation of the foot where the foot rolls in excessively for each revolution. Overpronation can cause tension in muscles, joints and tendons and can lead to pain and injury. Plantar fasciitis is caused by excess tension on the plantar fascia, which is the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot leading up to the heel. Excessive tension in the Achilles tendon can also be caused by overpronation, leading to pain in the back of the leg.
Well the good news for those of us prone to the frustrating injury of overpronation is that there are ways to limit this effect and ensure a healthy stride in the long term. So, here are a few key factors in repairing the runner that overpronates. First and foremost, strength training is key to preventing issues for all runners – including those that struggle with overpronation. One of the most important muscles for a runner to have in good shape to help prevent overpronation is the gluteus medius on the outer aspect of the hip. The gluteus medius helps to control how the foot pronates when we run, which may help to reduce overpronation. Stretching your lower extremities is also another factor to consider as tight muscles can lead to a variety of issues that can potentially impact running form – including overpronation.
Your footwear is also a major contributing factor to overpronation. Specialized running shoes that offer more arch support can help stabilize your foot. If your shoe is properly fitted with adequate arch support it can greatly benefit your foot to minimize pronation. In a study in 2020 by Ghani, he emphasizes the need to match our footwear to our foot type. For those who have flat feet or have low arches it is vital to get a shoe with proper arch support in order to minimize pronation and to avoid potential injuries that may occur due to overpronation.
Education is a big factor in preventing injuries. Many people do not realise the importance of learning how to run in the right way and therefore do not take the necessary precautions. Muscolino, Rimasti and Chauvin reported in an article in 2014 that it is important to learn correct running form in order to reduce the risk of injury. Runners need to ensure they are landing in the correct place as this has a huge impact on the risk of injury, as well as other effects on the body. As runners learn more about the body and how to adapt running to suit it, they will be better equipped to look after their health and be able to run in a safe way.
The effects of overpronation on injury risk are staggering and varied. From bruised heels to pain in the knee, overpronation can cause many problems and hindrances to optimal movement. Fortunately, the risk of injury caused by overpronation can be significantly decreased by strengthening relevant muscles, wearing the correct shoe for the individual and by teaching good running techniques. A balanced running routine and a healthy body can be achieved with the right precautions. Running safely is a safe way to stay fit.
Citations:
Horwood, A.M. and Chockalingam, N., 2017. Defining excessive, over, or hyper-pronation: a quandary. The foot, 31, pp.49-55. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958259216301134
de la Cruz, B., García, C., Sánchez, M.D., Albornoz, M., Espejo, L. and Domínguez-Maldonado, G., 2015. Therapeutic physical exercise for lower limb overpronation in young athletes. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 7(3), pp.211-217. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876382014003096
Ghani, N.S., 2020. Biomechanical Investigation of Individual with Over-Pronation and Over-Supination Foot During Walking (Master’s thesis, University of Malaya (Malaysia)). https://search.proquest.com/openview/1d9da7f610c41a290c27e25fd8fe8d9b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2026366&diss=y
Ghani, N.S., Abd Razak, N.A., Usman, J.U.L.I.A.N.A. and Gholizadeh, H., 2020. Foot over pronation problem among undergraduate students: A preliminary study. Sains Malays, 49(7), pp.1651-62. http://ukm.my/jsm/pdf_files/SM-PDF-49-7-2020/16.pdf
Malik, M., Kaur, J. and Malik, A., 2017. Correlation between Foot Overpronation and Angle of Inclination of Hip Joint. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy, 11(4). https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=09735674&AN=127678902&h=hqBbwAbebXEMMRsqRNpNgTqeRtGuEU2bVnKK0lfAyxqGI56ofkafQaKKdrr3JK5kiUcQmsPaPU7oHSZ3zuvsTw%3D%3D&crl=c
Karzis, K., Kalogeris, M., Mandalidis, D., Geladas, N., Karteroliotis, K. and Athanasopoulos, S., 2017. The effect of foot overpronation on Achilles tendon blood supply in healthy male subjects. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(10), pp.1114-1121. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sms.12722
Muscolino, J.E., Rimasti, A.G. and Chauvin, P.Y., 2014. Body Mechanics [online] https://www.learnmuscles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/BodyMechanics_MTJFA14.pdf
Stroeh, A.D., 2025. Exploring the Impact of Foot Overpronation on Gluteus Medius Activation in Recreational Runners: A Biomechanical Analysis. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7251/
Ntousis, T., Mandalidis, D., Chronopoulos, E. and Athanasopoulos, S., 2013. EMG activation of trunk and upper limb muscles following experimentally-induced overpronation and oversupination of the feet in quiet standing. Gait & posture, 37(2), pp.190-194. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966636212002457
Moezy, A., Malaie, S. and Dadgostar, H., 2016. The correlation between mechanical low back pain and foot overpronation in patients referred to Hazrat Rasool Hospital. Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, 14(4), pp.51-61. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Haleh-Dadgostar/publication/323849366_The_correlation_between_mechanical_low_back_pain_and_foot_overpronation_in_patients_referred_to_Hazrat_Rasool_Hospital/links/5fdbc47ba6fdccdcb8d6ccde/The-correlation-between-mechanical-low-back-pain-and-foot-overpronation-in-patients-referred-to-Hazrat-Rasool-Hospital.pdf
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