Over-pronation : Running Injuries

What is Over-pronation?

Over-pronation is very common amongst runners. It is a condition that causes the arch of the foot to collapse, which results in the foot rolling over too much when you are running. This affects the stability of the joint and causes the surfaces of the joint to operate at unnatural angles to each other. Over-pronation makes your running stride unbalanced, which puts stress on the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the foot and lower leg because they have to overcompensate. This makes runners vulnerable to a range of problems and injuries.

Symptoms of Over-pronation

• Your knees and heels turn inwards
• Knee pain
• Foot complaints
• Soles of running shoes wear down very quickly

Over-pronation can lead to many different types of injuries including:

• Knee, foot and ankle pain
• Shin splints
• Sprained ankle
• Bunions and flat feet
• Achilles tendonitis

Treating Over-pronation

The best way of combating over-pronation is to wear specially designed sports insoles in your running shoes that support the arch of the foot. This kind of arch support treats the underlying cause of over-pronation and will help to prevent it recurring in the future. This will benefit the rest of your body as well by greatly reducing the risk of developing injuries that are commonly caused and exacerbated by over-pronation.