In medical words, firstly, we need to say what supination is.
Supination is a corresponding movement of the foot and leg in which the foot rolls outward with a high arch so that the foot tends to come down on its outer edge in walking.
Meanwhile, supination can cause iliotibial band syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, or extreme foot pain.
Selecting the Right Running Shoes for Supination
Supination is a way of striking the ground when you walk. That is not a disease.
Supination can be a part of your neutral way of walking. Either way, your foot is under stress, which can cause many problems.
The right shoes can correct the way you walk and run and reduce the discomfort you might feel. Supination is typically in people with high arches, but it can be just the natural way of walking for others.
Supination occurs when weight is placed outside the foot while walking or running.
When the opposite happens, and a person shifts their weight from the heel to the forefoot, it is pronation.
Excessive supination (underpronation) and excessive pronation (overpronation) can cause problems with the body’s alignment and lead to pain in the feet, knees, hips, and back.
People with excessive supination often have structural issues with their feet. In addition, supination can cause pain and soreness, and wearing proper shoes helps a lot.
People who have supination do not roll their foot inward enough. That puts a strain on the ankle and causes it to move outward, which leads to injury.
Excessive supination is less common than pronation.
Supination is a big problem for runners. You put extra stress on the outer sides of your feet.
That can trigger a long list of issues you are unaware of.
Best Neutral Running Shoes
Genetics can be a cause of supination. Traits that affect feet and legs can be inherited, like leg length, foot width, and ankle stability.
The shape of the foot’s arch can increase the risk of supination.
Footwear can also be a part of the problem. Exceptionally rigid tight shoes, worn out, don’t support arch like they used to.
Physical misalignment is a big problem. Parts of the body must work harder and are under much pressure to support posture and get a body in balance.
To determine the problem, wet your bare feet and step firmly on the surface where you can see your clear footprints, like tiles or paper.
If half of your arch is visible on paper, that is a normal gait.
Additionally, if only a fraction or none of the arch is present, it suggests a supination case.
If you have a neutral gait, the shoes’ soles will wear down from the outer heel edge to the center of the shoe sole.
Supination can cause wear-out outside edges only.
When supinators are runners, the outside of the heel hits the ground first, and the foot does not sufficiently roll inward after landing on the floor.
The Force of the impact remains on one specific part of the foot.
If you wear your shoes out quickly, they are not even satisfactory.
Light-weighted and flexible running shoes are the best choice.
Consulting with a podiatrist will help you choose the right shoes for you and your supination.
Remember to measure your feet, length, width, and depth to buy the best fit.
When trying new shoes, wear sports socks when you run for the best fit.
Time for shopping is also necessary. Buy your shoes when your feet are tired and swollen at the end of the day. Never buy tight ones – they will not stretch over time.
Choose shoes with curved lasts. They encourage normal pronation and keep your feet in place.
Running shoes must have cushioning to counteract the impact of supination that hurts your feet.
Synthetic leather and nylon mesh are lighter and have better movement. However, they need a flexible inner side of the shoe for supination.
When picking, gently bend the shoe to see if it will move with your foot.
You should regularly replace your running shoes every six months or even more often if you see torn soles.
Running shoes for supination have the extra cushion and high arch support they need to optimize their run.
With shock-resistant properties, these flexible shoes help under pronators. In addition, they evenly distribute impact and prevent running injuries caused by the wrong foot placement and shoe choice.
You should also determine some facts before purchasing running shoes if you have neutral arches.
It would be best if you determined the running and your running style. Also, pick a category of running shoes and features you would like in a shoe, and try them all at the end.
Read Next – How to Choose Running Shoes
What kind of running shoes are yours?
Road running shoes are designed for mostly pavement, packed surfaces with minor irregularities.
They are light and flexible and can stabilize feet during strides on even surfaces.
Trail running shoes are designed for off-road running, rock, mud, and other obstacles on the way.
They have aggressive treads for solid traction and are fortified to make them even more stabilized, supported, and protective underfoot.
Cross-training shoes are for CrossFit and gym practices with contact with the ground.
Pronation is a neutral way of movement. It helps absorb impact and relieve pressure on knees and joints, a typical trait of neutral runners. Neutral shoes are best for people who supinate.
These shoes provide some shock absorption and some support on the sides.
Minimalist shoes have a lightweight construction.
They have very small or no arch support, and a heel drop is 4 to 8 mm to improve natural running motion and midfoot strike but have soft cushioning and flexibility.
Shoe Features
Uppers of the running shoes:
Synthetic leather is a supple, durable, and abrasion-resistant material made of nylon and polyester. Synthetic leather has better features than natural leather. For example, it is lighter, quicker drying, and more breathable.
Mesh-nylon is a durable material that reduces weight and improves the shoe’s breathability.
Overlays – they cover shoe panels with thermoplastic polyurethane. They are additions that enhance stability and durability.
Waterproof uppers – external membranes that bond with the lining. Uppers block moisture and allow feet to breathe.
This is the part of the shoe that keeps feet dry.
The shoe’s midsole – cushioning and stability layer in the middle of the outsole and upper part of the shoe.
EVA is a type of foam made of ethylene-vinyl acetate that forces a particular flex pattern.
Posts – areas of firm EVA come in different sensitivity, dual, quad, multi, or compression levels.
They create more challenging sections in the midsole and boost durability.
Plates – made of nylon or TPU, which are flexible materials, come in thin layers. They protect the bottom of feet on more challenging terrains.
Shanks – protect heels and arch, boost the firmness of the shoes on rocky terrains. They protect and support the leg.
TPU is a flexible plastic material, thermoplastic polyurethane, used in some midsoles as a stabilizing part of the shoe.
Read Next – What running shoes are best for supination?
Running shoe Outsoles
Most running shoes have rugged carbon rubber material in the heel.
Rubber, especially blown, provides an extra cushioning layer on the forefoot. Trail runners have the outsole in carbon rubber to withstand trail wear better.
Road racing shoes have blown rubber to reduce weight.
Heel-to-toe drop
The space difference between the height of the heel and the shoe’s height is the shoe drop.
This difference affects how your foot strikes the land.
Low or medium heel-to-drop (up to 8 mm) promotes a forefoot or mid-foot strike. A high-drop shoe from 10 to 12 mm promotes heel striking.
Heel counter
This is the rigid structure that is around the heel.
That provides motion control and is supplemented with a heel wedge that adds support and cushioning to the heel.
Read Next – Best Tennis Shoes for High Arches
Torsion bars (medial post)
Those are on the sides of shoes and help control excessive inward or outward motion.
Those are specially designed for overpronation and supination problems with the feet of the runners.
Besides the right shoes for supination, underpronation can be treated in a few ways to help with pain problems. But the first step is to diagnose a problem and buy shoes for supination.
Strength training – hip and glute strengthening exercises to improve your ankles’ and feet’ stability.
Stretching – Stretching your calves, Achilles, shins, and ankles regularly, days before and after exercise, such as running, is very important for supinators.
Wear the proper footwear – extra cushioning allows feet to pronate more.
Consider Orthotics – they can be designed especially for your feet.
Custom-built orthotics have your measurements, providing cushioning and surface areas specially designed for your feet.
Read Next – Best Low-Drop Running Shoes
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