Good Content from: The Saucony Team

Everybody pronates, so what’s the big deal? Here’s everything you need to know in less than two minutes.

What is Pronation?

Your body is designed so that your foot can twist with each stride in relation to the position of your lower leg. This rolling motion is called pronation and in addition to keeping you from running like a stiff-legged robot, it also helps your body:

• Create a stable base, even on irregular surfaces
• Pivot and change direction without breaking stride
• Absorb some of the shock during running

How to know if you pronate too much?

If you pronate a lot (some people call this over-pronation) then you may push off almost entirely with your big and second toe as you take a step. If you don’t pronate much (perhaps you’ve been told you “under-pronate) the brunt of each step is borne along the outside edge of your foot.

But, it’s really not how much you pronate that matters, it’s how much pronation your body can handle.

Runners who have pronation problems experience an imbalance of stress every time their foot hits the ground. As a result, they can suffer from shin splints, bunions, heel pain, knee and hip pain, plantar fasciitis and even chronic back pain.

How to correct over-pronation

The simplest solution for over-pronation is to wear the right running shoes. Even if you don’t run a lot, you might still need shoes that address the issue. With the help of our Shoe Advisor or your local run specialty store, you can find the best running shoes for your stride.

The best running shoes for over-pronation

Runners who overpronate should look into shoes that have more structure like our Stability Running Shoes. They offer increased medial support for your arches and firmer construction to steer your foot to a more evenly distributed stride. Those who do not over-pronate should try a more flexible and/or cushioned shoe like our Neutral Running Shoes. When it comes right down to it, though, you have to find what works for you.