Foot Types

There are 3 common foot types: Normal Arch (Neutral), Low Arch (Overpronation), and High Arch (Underpronation/Supination).

Definitions:

1.     Overpronation- Foot rolls inwards when running

2.     Underpronation/Supination – Foot rolls outwards when running

3.     Neutral- Foot rolls forward with minimal sideways movement when running

To determine your foot types, you could use one of the two tests:

 1.     Wet Paper Test

 2.     Shoe Wear Test

The Wet Paper Test consists of wetting your foot and stepping on a piece of paper. The foot pattern seen on the paper can be then used to determine your type of foot.

The Shoe Wear Test is a simple observation of the wear and tear patterns on your shoe’s outsole. The observation should be from the middle to front part of the shoe. It is difficult to interpret wear patterns on the heel of the shoe as most people that heel strike have the most wear and tear on the lateral part of the heel.

Wear Pattern	Interpretation
Outer (Lateral) Side	Underpronation/Supination
Middle	Neutral
Inner (Medial) Side	Overpronation

 

So, you have determined your kind of pronation and foot type. How does this relate to your running shoes? Running Shoes usually fall into 3 categories: Neutral, Stability and Motion Control. Motion Control shoes should only be used by people with severe overpronation or arch collapse.

Foot Type	Recommended Shoe Type	Shoe Features
High Arch (Supination/Under Pronation)	Neutral	-
Normal Arch (Neutral)	Neutral/Mild Stability	-
Low Arch (Overpronation)	Stability/Motion Control	Stability shoes with stability posts or guide rails

Regardless of whether you overpronate, I believe that it is good to use neutral shoes in your rotation to keep your arch active. The Stability features act akin to a crutch. Using stability shoes may further weaken your arch as a result of the lack of use. This could lead to further weakness and more complications with prolonged use. Arch strengthening exercises also help to keep the arch strong and the legs more resistant to injury.

Stability Posts are firmer materials in the medial side of the shoe’s midsole. These posts are supposed to resist compression when the shoe is compressed from running, reducing the collapse of the arch. A good example would be the New Balance 1500 series.

Guide Rails are firmer materials that run along the outer section of the shoe. It extends from the heel to the mid/forefoot.

Alternatively support insoles can be used to reduce pronation and provide relief with arch support. By removing the stock insole and replacing it with the new insole, the ride and fit of the shoe can be changed dramatically for the better.

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