Shoe FittingPronation
Pronation is the rolling of the foot from heel to toe through the foot strike. A proper or neutral pronation is hitting the outside of the heel and up to ball of your foot evenly across the front. This is how your foot reduces the stress of impact.
Underpronation is not enough evening out so the outside of your foot takes most of the shock instead of finishing in the neutral position.
Overpronation is too much roll across from the outside to the inside of your foot.
To determine your level of pronation, look at your shoes you walk or run in. Almost everyone will begin on the outside of the heel, the real indicator would be the wear on the forefoot.
If most of the shoe wear is:
On the medial (inside) side then you Overpronate
On the lateral (outside) side then you Underpronate
Uniform across the forefoot then you have a Neutral Stride
Determine your foot type
Another method of determining pronation and ultimately, foot type is by checking your arch height. The easiest way to figure out your arch height is by using the Wet Test. To take the test, wet the bottom of each foot and stand normally on a paper bag. After a minute or so, step off and observe the imprint left by your foot. (Trace the outline with a pencil if you want to look at it later.)
You have a normal arch (neutral pronation) if:
There's a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe.
You have a low arch (flat feet/overpronator) if:
There's not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries.
You have a high arch (underpronator) if:
There's a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don't pronate enough.
Choose the correct running shoe
Now that you've determined your foot type and degree of pronation, one other important characteristic you'll need to look for is shoe shape. You can see the shape most clearly by looking at the bottom of the shoe.
Typically, running shoes come in three shapes (straight, semi-curved and curved) which correspond to the three types of prints revealed by the wet test. Most experts believe that:
# Overpronators should wear a running shoe with a Straight shape
# Underpronators should wear a running shoe with a Curved shape
# Normal/Neutral pronators should wear a running shoe with a Semi-Curved shape
Choosing the correct running shoe for you
If you have flat feet and overpronate, look for a Motion-Control shoe. Motion control shoes prevent your foot from rolling in too far, have a straight shape that gives maximum support to your foot and are the most rigid, control-oriented running shoes.
If you have high-arched feet and underpronate, look for a Cushioned shoe. Cushioned shoes allow your feet to roll inward (absorbing shock), have a curved shape to encourage foot motion and have the softest midsole with the least medial support.
If you have normal arches and pronate normally, look for a Stability shoe. Stability shoes offer a good blend of cushioning, medial support and durability. They often have a semi-curved shape and don't control foot motion as strictly as motion-control shoes.
|
