Pronation Explained!

Pronation describes the lower legs way of absorbing shock and the movement of the foot. There are 3 types of pronation and you can easily check which one you are by doing the ‘wet test’ – all you need to do is have a look at your wet footprint and see what shape it makes.

The Normal Foot

Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and will leave a wet footprint with the forefoot and heel connected by a broad band. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards slightly to absorb shock. This is called ‘pronation’ and is the natural movement of the foot. The ‘normal foot’ runner is biomechanically efficient and therefore doesn’t need a motion control shoe.

Shoe needed: Support shoes with moderate control features.

Recommended support shoes include:

New Balance M858 to view and buy click here

Asics Gel Kayano to view and buy click here

Brooks Adrenaline to view and buy click here

Saucony Grid Omni to view and buy click here

Or click here for all other support shoes

The Flat Foot

This has a low arch and leaves a print which looks like the whole sole of the foot. It usually indicates that the foot is over-pronated – one that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards excessively. Over time, this can cause many different types of overuse injuries. The low-arched foot is flexible and requires support.

Shoe needed: Motion control shoes, or high stability shoes with firm midsoles and control features that will reduce the degree of pronation. Avoid highly cushioned, highly curved shoes, which lack stability features.

Excellent control shoes include:

Brooks Beast to view and buy click here

Saucony Stabil to view and buy click here

Mizuno Renegade to view and buy click here

Or click here for all control shoes

The High-Arched Foot

This leaves a print showing a very narrow band or no band at all between the forefoot and the heel. A curved, highly arched foot is generally known as ‘supinated’ or ‘under-pronated’. This foot can be inflexible; it doesn’t pronate enough and, therefore, it is not usually an effective shock absorber.

Shoe needed: Cushioned shoes with plenty of flexibility to encourage foot motion. Avoid motion control or stability shoes, which reduce foot mobility.

Recommended cushioning shoes include:

Asics Gel Nimbus to view and buy click here

Saucony Grid Triumph to view and buy click here

Mizuno Wave Creation to view and buy click here

Or click here for all cushioning shoes