How to Tell if You Pronate or Supinate—and Why It Matters

When you walk or run, your feet subtly shift how weight is distributed, and this is called pronation and supination, depending on which direction your feet tend to "roll" with every step.

"Pronation occurs when the foot rolls inward, placing more of a person's body weight on the inner border of the foot, and supination is the opposite: When the foot rolls outward, placing most of a person's body weight on the outer border of the foot," says Carol Mack, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist and trainer in Cleveland, OH. "These motions are normal and occur with every step that we take. Some people may pronate or supinate more than the typical amount, however."

When that happens, it's called overpronation or oversupination (underpronation), and that may have an impact on your gait and athletic performance.

Quick Definitions

• Pronation: inward foot roll
• Supination: outward foot roll
• Both are normal, but problems occur when either becomes excessive.

Pronation is what happens when your foot rolls inwards towards your arch and big toe. This creates a natural unlocking of the foot that allows for shock absorption when you're walking or running, according to Larisa Durrenberger, P.T., a physical therapist specialising in orthopaedics and sports medicine at WAVE Physical Therapy and Pilates in Cincinnati, OH.

This is normal pronation and involves the foot rolling inward by 15 percent or less, so that the whole foot touches the ground briefly before you push off.

Overpronation of the foot occurs when the foot rolls in too much, placing excess pressure on the arches and not just in the feet and ankles.

"When you have overpronation, it can lead to other joints rotating excessively inward, such as the knee and hip," says Mack.

In general, normal pronation helps distribute shock and stabilise the ankle, while excessive pronation overstresses soft tissues.

"Overpronation can be caused by a flat foot, weakness of the medial calf and the muscles in the foot itself, shoes with inadequate arch support or increased body weight," adds Durrenberger.

If you're an overpronator, you may want to consider getting a stability or motion-control shoe. These shoes control the motion in your foot to varying degrees

• Stability running shoes are recommended for overpronators. They're designed to support the arch of the foot through the midsole that may also extend into the heel. This helps guide the heel-to-toe transition that's particularly important for runners.
• Motion-control shoes are recommended for those with severe overpronation. They provide arch support in the midsole but also offer additional heel cup support.

"Choosing the right shoes is important to support the joints and ligaments of the foot," says Mack. "This goes along with exercising the lower body to build strength in the feet, ankles and hips."

Consider these choices if you're overpronating, for stability and comfort:

• Nike ReactX
• Nike Air Zoom Structure
• Nike Infinity Run

During walking or running, supination occurs when the heel lifts off the ground and your body weight moves to the lateral (outside) edge of your foot.

"Supination is when your weight shifts to the outside edge of your foot, causing the foot to become more rigid to assist with the push-off phase of running and walking," says Durrenberger. "When in balance, both pronation and supination are normal and necessary motions for the foot to move through during the gait cycle."

Oversupination, sometimes called underpronation, happens with a greater-than-average outward roll of the foot. People with high arches are at a higher risk for oversupination.

Oversupination can be caused by a rigid high-arched foot, tight calf muscles, poor-fitting footwear or a prior injury that has caused compensations to develop, she explains.

When shopping for shoes for supination (or underpronation), many people look for shoes that accommodate high arches. Generally, you'll want a shoe that offers plenty of cushioning, especially through the midsole. A wide toe box can also be helpful, as it can help support the foot, absorb impact and promote more pronation.

Check out neutral shoes like the Nike Pegasus or Nike Vomero to take advantage of their shock absorption, cushioning and arch and ankle support. Or, try Nike React Infinity Run, which provides a wider toe box for optimum stability.

There are a few ways to get an idea about whether you're dealing with overpronation or oversupination.

• Wet footprint test. (see FAQs below) Wet your foot and step onto an absorbent surface like a piece of paper or concrete. The shape of your footprint can indicate your level of pronation or supination.
• Wear pattern test. The easiest way to self-check if you overpronate or oversupinate is to look at the wear patterns on the bottom of your shoes. If the outer edge of your shoe shows significant wear and tear, you're likely oversupinating. If you see more wear on the inside of the shoe, you may be overpronating, according to Durrenberger.
• Film your treadmill run from behind. You can learn a great deal about your gait when viewing it on video because you can slow down the speed and zoom in on your feet.

"Understanding your gait and whether you overpronate or underpronate is very helpful, because both might have an impact on running mechanics that contribute to performance", says Mack.

In many cases, wearing the right shoes can make a significant difference when it comes to adjusting your gait, Mack suggests. However, if you're experiencing pain—either sharp and acute or dull and chronic—or you're dealing with nagging issues in your back, hips and knees, it can be helpful to talk with your health team to evaluate what may be going on.