What is pronation and why does it matter?
Pronation is the way your foot naturally moves as you run. When your foot strikes the ground, it may roll inward to absorb the shock. This natural movement helps you push evenly from the ball of your foot and is an essential part of your overall gait cycle (the way you move).
Understanding the way your foot moves is a big part of improving your shoe selection, and potentially minimise the chance of injury. Knowing your pronation type will:
- Determine the type of running shoes you wear
- Help reduce the potential risk of injury
- Assist your overall running performance
Three Pronation Types
Depending on the degree of pronation, the right shoe selection will help your natural running movement. Some runners can either roll inward too much, or not enough. There are three main pronation types for runners.
It’s important to understand where you sit on the pronation spectrum, as it will determine the type of running shoe you wear.