Know Your Foot:
The first step (no pun intended) towards finding a good shoe for yourself, is to find out what category your feet fall under.
There are three categories: the normal footstrike, the overpronating footstrike and the underpronating footstrike.
The normal footstrike begins with the first contact on the outside of the heel, and then pronates (rolls inward) to a
neutral position to absorb shock as it rolls forward to toe-off. The normal footstrike is the best one to have, as it requires
no correction and is the most efficient. Even though this strike is considered "normal", only 25% of all runners have this type of foot. It is
characterized by a moderate arch height.
Normal Footstrike
The second, (and most common) footstrike is overpronation. As you can probably gather from the name, overpronation is an excessive
roll inwards (defined as over 4 degrees). This can be controlled by a motion-control device that is built into the shoe, or
by orthotics (custom made inserts that mold to your feet). Motion-control devices are usually plastic pieces on the inside of
the shoe that prevent the foot from rolling in past neutral. This type of foot is characterized by a low arch.
Overpronation
The third, and last, type of footstrike is underpronation or supination. This is when the foot doesn't roll in enough
(to neutral), so not enough
shock is absorbed, or if the foot actually rolls to the outside (this accounts for less than 1% of the population). This is
helped by a shoe with extra cushioning and a stable heel counter. This third type of food can lead to ankle injuries, and both are characterized by a very high arch.
Supination
[ Know Your Foot |Determining Your Foot Type |Picking a Shoe ]
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Copyright Runner's Oasis, 1996.
Last updated: 8/15/1996