What Are The Causes Of Underpronation?

The gait abnormality called underpronation is where the foot does not pronate correctly during walking and running

. Pronation is the inward movement of the foot during contact with the ground, and it helps to deal with the forces generated during ground contact as well as helping to distribute the body weight correctly. No matter what activities you participate in, you are at a risk of damaging your feet and lower legs if you do not pronate to the correct degree. When the feet do not hit the ground correctly and do not roll effectively from heel to toe, there is believed to be a much higher chance of an injury being sustained.

People who underpronate can be at a higher risk of sustaining injuries than those with a normal, or neutral gait, with shin splints, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia and sprains and strains some of the common injuries associated with underpronation. When forces are not dealt with correctly, the body weight and extra pressure can damage the fragile bones and muscles in the feet. Although underpronation is not necessarily bad, it may make common foot injuries much more likely to be suffered, especially with runners and joggers.

The foot naturally turns inwards at a fifteen degree angle after the heel comes into contact with the ground, which allows ample flexion of the foot to deal with the forces generated by ground contact. The slight movement inwards allows it to absorb shocks and distribute the weight throughout the rest of the foot. When pronation is off by just a few degrees, it can have a detrimental effect on the body. Too much pronation called overpronation -can similarly make injuries more likely. Plantar fasciitis, shin splints and injuries to the big toe are likely, as the push off takes place from the inside edge when pronation is greater than 15 degrees. Too little pronation and the push off takes place from the outside edge of the foot and the smaller toes, and similarly can make injury more likely. But what causes this gait irregularity?

Underpronation can result from a previous foot injury which has affected the ability of the foot to roll. When the feet are left rigid and unable to flex properly, the weight of the body tends to stay on the outside of the foot throughout the stride. Underpronation is often caused by injuries which have left a muscle imbalance. There are many common chronic conditions that may influence the degree to which this gait problem affects an individual. These conditions may reduce the function of the arch, the heel, or affect joint function and these in turn can reduce flexibility in the feet. The arch is affected by the structures that surround it, such as the metatarsal bones and the plantar fascia tissue and tendons which give it its characteristic arch shape. When there is a defect in any of these tissues it can prevent proper pronation. When the arches are particularly high, underpronation often results.

Analyzing your foot arches is a great way to tell if you are prone to underpronate when walking or running. If you step in water and then on a surface which shows your footprints you can see whether you have high or low arches. If your footprint is very narrow in the middle, it means you have high arches and this is likely to be the reason why you underpronate. You can also look at a pair of old trainers to check the wear pattern. Underpronators will wear the outside edge more than other parts of the sole, and this is one of the best tests to see if you are an underpronator, aside from having a gait analysis completed by a podiatrist. However if you do not pronate correctly, you should seek professional advice to find out the causes, as only by identifying the root cause and treating that will you be able to improve your condition.

by: Toby White

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