SUPINATION of the feet
SUPINATION is when the arches of your feet are too high, causing you to walk on the outside of your feet. |
Figure 4‑1
The Consequences of Supination
Like overpronation, which we talked about in the last webpage, supination affects more than just the feet and ankles. Walking too much on the outside of your feet causes your knees to bow outward. The knees are hinge joints that work best when they bend in a straight position. If you walk with the knees bowed at an angle, the excessive stress of this abnormal motion causes wear and tear over time, leading to degeneration and pain.
An imbalance of the amount of supination between the left and right foot can cause the pelvis to tilt, straining the back and spraining the sacroiliac joints (the joints in the pelvis).
A foot scan should be performed to determine the degree of supination. Again, we offer free foot scans at Drummond Chiropractic. CLICK HERE to schedule your FREE foot scan today!
Typically, high arches are more rigid and do not absorb shock as well as a normal arch. Let’s go back to the race car analogy. Instead of having regular rubber tires (healthy shock absorbing feet), you have wooden tires (rigid feet). So you need to add more cushion to your feet.
Beware if you just wear soft insoles for the extra cushion; this may cause your arches to collapse over time. I prefer to support high arches with soft, supportive orthotics to provide the cushion that high arches need. Soft orthotics also help prevent high arches from collapsing.
Again, I am a big fan of Foot Leveler orthotics, not just for flat feet, but for supination (high arches) as well.
If your feet supinate, you will need more cushion because your higher rigid arches don’t absorb as much shock as they should. You may also need high arch supports to prevent your arches from collapsing.
If you are a supinator wearing a shoe for a pronator, this will make you vulnerable to injury and pain. Understanding your feet will help you determine the type of shoe that is perfect for your needs.
Drummond Chiropractic, LLC
Foot Pain Specialists
565 N Walnut St
Bloomington, IN 47404
(812) 336 - 2423