There’s a pattern to foot pain; it doesn’t develop overnight. The way your feet move when walking (the amount of pronation and supination), as well as the lack of misalignment, creates this pattern.
Although everyone will have a different amount of pronation and supination, most people believe they’re experiencing one when actually they’re having the other. Misdiagnosing yourself leads to aching feet for many years, having the wrong shoes, and creating long-term joint problems throughout the body.
It is important not only to understand the difference between pronation and supination if you are an athlete or injured, but understanding it also applies to how comfortable your feet are every day, your body posture, body balance, and long-term joint health. As a result of people’s incorrect self-diagnosis, most wear shoes that do not fit their foot type correctly—this includes flat athletic shoes and rigid slippers for use around the house rather than the appropriate types of sandals (orthotic sandals for women, women’s arch support sandals).
This guide provides details regarding the differences between pronation and supination, explains why most people misdiagnose themselves, and shows the best shoe styles that can help bring back proper foot alignment (orthopedic or recovery sandals as well as plantar fasciitis sandals for women).
What Is Pronation and Why Is It Not Always Negative?
When walking, a person's foot rolls inward. Many people think of pronation as an indication of something “wrong” with their feet; in fact, this inward rolling action serves an important purpose. It allows for shock absorption and cushioning of the feet as you walk. However, it is overpronation (when the foot rolls too far inward) that causes problems. This excessive inward collapse leads to overstretching of the arch and puts excessive stress on the ligaments and tendons in the foot.
Many people assume that because they have flat or flexible arches, they are overpronators, and in many cases they would be correct. But surprisingly, many individuals who have a neutral gait still believe they are “flat-footed” merely because they have shoes that tilt inward slightly.
Overpronation can contribute to:
- Tiredness of the arch
- Heel pain
- Instability of the knee rotation
- Shin splints
- Chronic plantar fasciitis
Individuals who are female, stand for long periods of time, have a long daily walking distance, or wear unsupportive nubbed or slippers indoors are more likely to overpronate. This group of people benefit from wearing structured arch supportive shoes, such as Women's Arch Support Sandals and Orthopedic Sandals, which help realign the foot.
What Supination Is (and Why It’s More Misdiagnosed Than Pronation)
Supination is the opposite of pronation. It is when the foot rolls toward the outside of the body and places weight on the outer edges. This occurs less frequently than pronation, but it is much more likely to be misdiagnosed because most people do not recognize the correct symptoms associated with this type of foot position. Most people who supinate believe they have a problem with their arches, but in fact, their arches may be too high, or their feet may be too stiff, making it difficult for the foot to roll inward, and absorb the shock of the foot strike.
Supinring frequently causes:
- Ankle Sprains
- Pain in the toe or front of the foot (forefoot)
- Calf Tightness
- Stress Fractures
- Misaligned Knee Strain
If you supinate, the outside edge of your shoes will wear out first. You may feel pain in the ankle region or outer edge of the heel, which is commonly mistaken to be plantar fasciitis. In turn, many people buy shoes that do not fit their needs and make their condition worse. Shoes that are designed too stiff or too flat do not permit the foot to move as it should. In these cases, cushioned shoe types, such as supportive shock-absorbing sandals, & recovery sandals for women, can safely locate the foot in a more neutral, safer position.
How Self-Diagnosis of Foot Problems Can Go Wrong
Most people tend to diagnose their own feet based on how fatigued they feel from walking around all day and not how the foot actually moves. They may examine the arch height of their foot or a particular area of wear on their shoes when they should be looking at the overall pattern of movement.
Some common misdiagnosis examples are:
- Thinking you have flat feet but only having a flexible arch
- Alliance of the outer edge of your foot with supination pain when that is actually due to nerve compression
- Believing you have neutral feet if the pain you experience is time-dependent with no other shoes causing pain
- Identifying plantar fasciitis as the problem when in reality the issue is caused by pronation or supination misalignments
The main thing causing these misdiagnoses is your shoes. Most people wear shoes that mask or disguise the source of their problem. For example, a cushioned running shoe may hide pronation, while a very rigid sandal may mask supination and make it seem that the problem is coming from your calf or Achilles tendon. The daily activities people engage in - especially those involving long periods of standing - further blur the lines of pain and what they believe to be the cause of their pain.
That is why the easiest way to find your true foot pattern is by paying attention to the effect of different types of shoes. For example, if wearing flat soft slippers at home causes you pain, but wearing a pair of Women's Arch Support Sandals relieves that pain, then you likely have signs of overpronation. If you wear soft recovery sandals after exercising or running and you experience less ankle instability, that also indicates over pronation.
Pronation and Supination Affect Knees, Hips and Comfort Daily
The Base of the Posture Chain is Your Feet
Pronation is when you roll your foot inward. Supination is when you roll toward the outside. When your foot rolls inward or outward, it's not just your feet that need to turn, it's your knees, your hips, and ultimately, your lower back!
When you pronate your knees turn inwards, and this causes your hips to move inside towards your body. It also causes a collapse in your lower back. The opposite is true for supination; when your knees are rotated outward, it makes your hips misaligned, and puts excessive stress on the outside of your hips.
A lot of people think they have "bad knees" or "weak hips" but once they put on good supportive footwear, such as a pair of Plantar Fasciitis Sandals or other structured Orthopedic Sandals, they generally feel better and their pain is reduced dramatically. This shows that the problem is not joint weakness but improper foot mechanics.
Finding the Perfect Shoes for Your Feet
The best way to find the right shoe for your foot type is through a professional gait analysis appointment. However, you can find a good shoe through observation of how your foot feels while you are carrying out your daily activities.
Overpronators usually need structured arch support and stability in their footwear with features that do not allow your foot to collapse on itself. Arch support sandals that have a contoured footbed with a built-up heel cup provide excellent support for these types of feet.
Supinators usually require a cushion that will absorb shock, but will not force their arches too high. Recovery sandals have the benefit of having a flexible midsole that provides comfort and stability without making the shoe stiff on the foot.
If you experience chronic heel pain, plantar fasciitis sandals are designed to help offload pressure from the plantar fasciitis and relieve some of the stress it places on the foot. Transitional sandals are also a good option for those who commonly go barefoot or wear thin slippers in the house, because they can help prevent the daily misalignment of your feet that can accumulate over time.
Finding the right shoe for your foot type is simply about selecting shoes that work with your natural foot motion rather than against it.
How Understanding Your Foot Mechanics Eases Pain and Causes You to “Walk That Way”
Pronation and supination are not problems by themselves; they only become an issue when either one becomes excessively pronounced, is inaccurately diagnosed or inadequately supported. The vast majority of individuals are mistaken when they determine what their foot mechanics are or how they function, and that misguided determination creates years of unnecessary pain that can easily be avoided through proper footwear selection.
Once you have an accurate understanding of your foot mechanics, you can select a pair of shoes that are supportive of your natural gait instead of working against it. It really comes down to having shoes that allow you to walk in better alignment with less pain, whether that be by using orthopedic sandals, recovery sandals, plantar fasciitis sandals for women, or women's arch support sandals.
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