Foot Health News

Pronation vs Supination

Pronation is a natural movement of the foot during walking or running. After your heel touches the ground, the foot rolls slightly inward to help stabilise and transition through the stance phase. This movement helps the foot become flexible, absorb impact, and adapt to the surface. 

Supination is the opposite movement, where the foot rolls slightly outward and weight shifts toward the outer edge, stiffening the foot to prepare for the push-off phase.

These terms are also used to describe foot type:

  • Pronation: Often linked to a foot with a lower arch (Flatfoot or Pes Planus)
  • Supination: Often linked to a foot with a higher arch (High-Arched Foot or Pes Cavus). 
Natural pronation and supination are essential for absorbing shock and providing stability during movement

— Mei et al., 2022 —

Pronation "Good" or "Bad"?

Pronation is natural and necessary. Every person pronates.

  • Optimal Pronation: The foot rolls inward just the right amount, maximising stability and propulsion.
  • Overpronation: The foot rolls inward too much or for too long, which can affect lower leg mechanics.
  • Under Pronation: The foot rolls inward too little, remaining rigid and limiting natural shock absorption.

Is there an optimal amount of pronation?

Yes, pronation is natural, and each person has their own “ideal” amount. Too little or too much can be disadvantageous, but for most people, normal variation is not a concern.

Around 14% of adults over-pronate and nearly 20% over-supinate, according to a large community study published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (Golightly et al., 2014). Both patterns can influence how your body absorbs impact and may contribute to knee, hip, or back pain if your feet lack strength and stability.

Did You Know?

References

  1. Golightly, Y. M., Hannan, M. T., Dufour, A. B., & Hillstrom, H. J. (2014). Foot disorders associated with over-pronated and over-supinated foot function: The Framingham Foot Study. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 7(1), 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-014-0057-x
  2. Mei, Q., Kim, H. K., Xiang, L., Shim, V., Wang, A., Baker, J. S., Gu, Y., & Fernandez, J. (2022). Toward improved understanding of foot shape, foot posture, and foot biomechanics during running: A narrative review. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 1062598. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.1062598