The Difference Between Over and Under Pronation

Pronation is the way the foot rolls inward when you walk and run. It is part of the natural movement that helps the lower leg deal with shock. Some people pronate more (overpronation) or less (underpronation) than others. If you are an over or under-pronator, it is not the result of an injury, but rather caused by the height of your arch and your “gait cycle.”

Then if you vary from “normal” pronation at all, the only thing you will have to worry about is considering different footwear that can help your foot compensate for the difference in impact and reduce the amount of shock that a specific part of your foot is trying to absorb on its own. Let us go through the differences between normal, under, and overpronation so that you can see where your feet land, and pick the best shoes for the support that you need.

Normal Pronation

This is when the outside part of the heel makes the initial contact with the ground, then the foot “rolls” inward about fifteen percent, comes in complete contact with the ground, and then pushes off with the forefoot evenly. This allows your foot to support your body weight without any problems by optimally distributing the impact from each step.

Underpronation (or Supination)

With underpronation, the outside of the heel will still make initial contact with the ground. After that, the inward movement of the foot occurs at less than fifteen percent (or almost none) which then means that the full impact of each step is concentrated on a smaller area of the foot (along the outside edge) and is not distributed as efficiently. This also means that during the push-off phase (as your foot is leaving the ground again) most of the work is done by the smaller toes on the outside of the foot. People who underpronate tend to have high arches.

Overpronation

Once again, with this gait type, your foot will still strike at the outside of the heel first. At that point, the foot will roll inward more than fifteen percent which means that your foot and ankle have problems stabilizing your body. and your lower leg absorbs more impact than it has to. Your ankle may angle in quite a bit as you run, causing a good amount of “side-to-side” movement in your feet. As you push off, the front of your foot will push off the ground using mainly the big toe and second toe, which then has to carry all of your body weight. People who overpronate tend to have little to no arches.

Those tests can create the perfect portrait of your lower body mechanics and give you the information that you need to get arch support shoes or shock absorbing shoes that your feet need to support your body properly.”

How can you know what kind of pronation your feet go through as you run? The best way is to visit a podiatrist that can do a “gait test”. They will have you walk on a treadmill that has special pressure sensors. Those sensors can show how and where your foot is impacting the ground as you move forward. They may also record a short video of your feet to see the angles at which your feet and ankles strike the ground and then lift as you walk. Those tests can create the perfect portrait of your lower body mechanics and give you the information that you need to get arch support shoes or shock-absorbing shoes that your feet need to support your body properly.

This athletic all-in-one has superlight all-synthetic uppers that seamlessly shape to your foot and KURUCLOUD Foam that creates unsurpassed cushioning and energy return during toe-off.”

What Kind of Shoes Are Best?

There are so many critical things when it comes to having the right footwear to help with your pronation. We make that easy for you! With KURU Footwear we offer our own patented KURUSOLE technology and we have received great feedback on how we have helped customers when it comes to pronation. The amazing thing is this exceptional support is built into every style that we offer so you can’t go wrong but down below our the top 3 styles that we love to highlight anytime we get asked to recommend a style for Pronation:

QUANTUM

The QUANTUM does it all! With a performance mesh upper and ULTIMATE INSOLE that seamlessly shapes to your foot, you know that you are getting a superior match for your foot. Need a little wiggle room for your toes? The QUANTUM has a broad toe box to allow for natural movement and keep you comfortable. This shoe is ideal for aerobic and cross-training because it provides great support during lateral movement as well as forward motion.

CHICANE

The CHICANE is a sturdy outdoor style that can keep you on the go anywhere. It makes the transition from hiking and walking to urban casual seamlessly. And it is equipped with durable tough toe and heel caps to ensure that you get a lot of miles out of every pair. The KURUSOLE cushion in the footbed will adapt to your foot as you step, cradling your heel and helping you maintain a more natural stride. These along with the exceptional built-in arch support and improved heel strike angles are one of the reasons it is an exceptional style for helping with both under and overpronation.

ATOM

This is KURU’s fastest shoe. The ATOM is fantastic for performance training and cross-training. This athletic all-in-one has superlight all-synthetic uppers that seamlessly shape to your foot and KURUCLOUD Foam that creates unsurpassed cushioning and energy return during toe-off. Speaking of seamless, this style has no bulky seams to cause rubbing or hot spots during your long training sessions. Finally, with the KURUSOLE technology and exceptional arch support, we have received amazing feedback when it comes to helping with under and overpronation.

The best thing you can do for your feet is finding a shoe that can provide the support you need and help you maintain a natural stride. And KURU does not shy away from the challenge. Our shoes were created with the idea that footwear should not only be highly functional and aid in the overall health of your feet but also be supremely comfortable. So grab a pair of KURU shoes and open life! Nothing can stop you now. Please see the links down below to go to all of our styles.

About Us

At KURU, we’re on a mission to help you Heel Better™ with footwear technology designed to relieve foot pain, so you can live a life you love. Since launching our innovative technology in 2008, we’ve received more than 29,000 five-star reviews from thousands of customers who tell us their KURU shoes helped them with conditions (such as plantar fasciitis) and got them back to doing what they love. Explore our guide to the best shoes for plantar fasciitis to find a pair that fits your needs.

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