Our world is full of examples of tools that can take measurements to provide information. A great example is that you can measure the air pressure inside a football to ensure that it is within an approved range – just ask the NFL’s New England Patriots! Not everything is so easy and objective to identify as a properly-inflated football, though. Your particular pronation style can be tough to recognize, but Foot Specialists of Long Island is here to help!
It is estimated that the average person places around 7 tons of force upon his or her feet every day. Obviously, that does not all happen at once, but it certainly adds up. Your body, being smarter than you probably realize, capitalizes on a rolling motion to help handle all of the force. We refer to this biomechanical process as pronation.
Given that everyone’s foot structure varies, there is also variance in how someone might pronate. In addition to the normal pattern, which is roughly a fifteen percent inwards rolling motion, individuals may either excessively roll their feet (overpronate) or not roll them enough (supination).
There are essentially three ways of identifying your pronation style:
- Understand your arch type. If you have flat feet, you likely overpronate. If your arches are high, you probably supinate.
- Examine your shoes. When you look at the bottoms of your shoes, excessive wear on the inside edges indicates overpronation. As might be expected, excessive wear on the outside edges displays supination.
- Receive a gait analysis. This is the most conclusive way for you to know how you pronate. Schedule an appointment with our office and we will let you know how your foot and ankle move during every step.
If the way your feet move is causing you pain or interfering with your ability to do the things you want to do, Foot Specialists of Long Island can help! We proudly serve Nassau County in our mission to provide the effective foot care our patients need. At the end of the day, we know we did our job when your feet are on the right path to their natural, healthy selves, so contact our Long Island, NY office today. Call us at (516) 804-9038 or use our online form and schedule your appointment with us.
Photo Credit: CCO Public Domain via Pixabay.com