Supination and The Best Insoles for Treatment
If you have a high arch type, constantly feel like you’re walking on the outside of your feet, or feel like your feet can’t handle much shock from walking or running, you may have heard the words supination, or under-pronation.
What is Supination?
Supination is the “turning outward” of your foot at your ankle, which causes you to put your weight on the outside edge of your feet. As you can imagine, this can cause discomfort and pain in your ankles, knees, hips, and back. When walking or running, those with supination can also be more susceptible to conditions such as shin splints, ankle sprains, stress fractures, or Plantar Fasciitis, all as a result of their supination.
If you look at the back of your shoes and see that at the heels they are wearing more on the outside than on the inside, you may more than likely dealing with over-supination. The same goes for if the outside edge of your insoles are wearing down noticeably faster than the inside edge.
If you have high arches, this may also be a telltale sign that you have supination as high-arched individuals are naturally more disposed to supination due to their arch shape. If you are unsure what type of arch you have, you can try doing the wet test, a simple at-home trick to help determine what type of foot arch you have.
How do you Prevent Supination?
To prevent supination, you need two things. First, you need to stabilize your heel and ankle to prevent your ankle from rolling outwards. Second, you will need to have an arch support to provide the proper foundation for your foot.
An insole with a deep heel cup will help “lock” the ankle in to place, preventing your ankle and foot from that outward rolling motion. The arch support will likewise help give your arches a proper place to rest, which helps distribute pressure and helps guide your foot in making a natural stepping motion, relieving the outside of your foot from all of the weight and stress.
What makes for a good Supination Insoles?
When looking for insoles that can help assist in the prevention and treatment of supination, we suggest having the proper foundation for correct foot alignment: a semi-rigid or rigid orthotic arch support that is specifically for a high arch type. Having a deep heel cup is essential, too, and will help with stability while promoting proper foot alignment and motion.
Best Insoles for Supination
Based on our criteria for supination insoles, we’ve put together a list of top insoles to help with treatment and prevention of supination:
The Sof Sole FIT High Arch Insoles are a full-length, rigid orthotic arch support insole. They are designed specifically for a high arch type. They offer an anatomically correct nylon support plate that provides proper alignment and motion control. They are also available in a low arch type and a neutral arch type.
The Icebug Fat High Insoles are a full-length, semi-rigid orthotic arch support insole that is designed for a high arch type. They are also available in a Neutral and Low arch type as well. They provide metatarsal support along with maximum cushioning and support for high-volume shoes, such as athletic shoes, boots, and casual shoes with removable footbeds. They feature an Arch Flex System Technology that works like an exercise ball, providing energy return with each step. These insoles are also available in a medium arch type and a low arch type.
The Birkenstock BirkoBalance Arch Support Insoles are a 3/4-length, rigid orthotic arch support insole. They provide a deep heel cup, arch support, and metatarsal support for neutral to high arch types. With their ¾-length, these insoles are designed to be worn on top of your existing factory shoe insoles.