The Ins And Outs Of Pronation And Why Everyone Is Doing It

You may have tried some of the more popular venues in Lakewood, CO: Frijoles Colorado Cuban Café or Taste of Denmark for great food; Nordstrom Rack or Hot Topic for the latest fashions; Bear Creek Lake Park or William F. Hayden Green Mountain parks for favorite outdoor activities. Did you know one thing is so popular that everyone is doing it? Pronation!

Okay, we know only podiatrists get that excited talking about feet, but the way your foot moves when you walk is interesting. It’s also very efficient. Each step you take follows the same pattern:

• You strike the ground on the outside of your heel

• Your foot rolls inward as your body’s weight moves forward over it. The arch collapses slightly so your weight rests evenly over your whole foot, giving a solid foundation.

• As your weight shifts ahead of your foot, your heel lifts and the arch springs back into shape to provide leverage as you push off your toes.

• That allows your leg to lift high enough to swing forward without shuffling on the ground.

So here are the “ins and outs” that can lead to problems:

First, your foot may roll too far inward with each step—called overpronation—and totally flatten your arch. This means your ankle, lower leg and thigh can also rotate inward. Overpronating puts a lot of tension on

• the ligament under your foot, leading to plantar fasciitis;

• the bones in your foot, causing bunions and toe deformities;

• your Achilles tendon, leading to tendonitis;

• and the bones in your leg, causing shin splints, tarsal tunnel syndrome, or knee and thigh pain.

On the other hand, your weight can stay on the outside of your foot if it doesn’t roll in far enough—called underpronation—and this also can result in plantar fasciitis. Ankle sprains, shin splints, and knee, hip or back pain are other complications of this foot motion.

Let the foot specialists at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center in Lakewood, CO, evaluate your biomechanics. We can diagnose what may be causing your pain or limiting your ability to move about. We love to see you active and enjoying life, and will do whatever we can to keep your feet healthy enough to do so. Call (303) 423-2520 today for an appointment and be prepared for foot care that meets and exceeds your expectations!