| Do you need a shoe that cushions your foot or one | | | | Pronation is part of the natural bio-mechanics of your |
| that supports it? | | | | gait, and is there to protect you from injuries. |
| If you want to select the right running shoe for you, | | | | Problems (injuries) can occur when you either |
| the first concept you need to be familiar with is | | | | pronate or supinate too much. Returning to the car |
| pronation. | | | | suspensions analogy, problems happen when your |
| Each time you hit your foot on the ground, either by | | | | suspensions are either too stiff or too soft. |
| running, jumping or simply walking, you apply a force | | | | Given this premise, we can differentiate three |
| to the ground. As we know from Newton's laws of | | | | different conditions: |
| Motion, the ground will respond by applying an equal | | | | * Neutral Pronation when the foot naturally rolls |
| and opposite force upwards towards you. This force | | | | inwards during the heel-to-toe transition of the gait. |
| is what propels your foot up and forward. This force | | | | 20-30% of runners are neutral pronators. |
| is what makes you run. | | | | * Over Pronation when the foot rolls excessively |
| The issue is that when you run, you apply a force | | | | inwards and the arch collapses in a way that is |
| that can be as high as 8 times your body-weight. | | | | detrimental to right shock absorption. |
| This force then gets back to you through your foot, | | | | * Under Pronation (or Supination) when the foot |
| ankle, knee and hips. Not differently than a car, your | | | | does not roll inwards enough during the running gait, |
| body has natural suspensions to help you absorb the | | | | leading to insufficient shock absorption. |
| shock. The basis of this natural suspension system is | | | | Knowing if you are a neutral, over or underpronator |
| a process called pronation. | | | | is the first step towards choosing the best running |
| Pronation is the natural rolling of your foot inwards | | | | shoe for you. |
| during the running (or walking) gait. The arch of your | | | | Click here for a quick test to determine your running |
| foot collapses towards the floor in order to absorb | | | | type (if you are a neutral, over or under pronator). |
| the impact. | | | | |