Let's see How to know if you are a pronator or supinator, that is, the way you step on the ground when running. And if you practice running or others sports For those who need to run, it is important that you know how your foot comes into contact with the ground in order to choose the most suitable sports shoes or learn the best running technique to avoid injuries. Therefore, we offer you the best methods for know if you are a pronator or supinator, the differences between them and why it can be useful to know if you step one way or another.
How to know if you are a pronator or supinator
Index of contents
- Differences between pronator and supinator
- What is the purpose of knowing if you are a pronator or supinator?
- How to know if you are a pronator or supinator
- Other ways to know if you are a pronator or supinator
Differences between pronator and supinator
Broadly speaking, the main difference between a pronator runner and a supinator runner is found in the the way you step on the ground when you run, that is, the way in which the foot comes into contact with the ground when running. The main differences are:
- A runner pronator has to step on the ground with inner part of the foot; This is the most common type.
- A runner supinator, on the contrary, tends to step with the outer part of the foot when running; In this case, it is the least common type of footprint.
Between pronating and supinating runners we find the runners of neutral footprint, that is to say, support the foot in a flatter way, without exerting much pressure on one side or the other of the sole of the foot. It is the most correct way to run and is also one of the most common, with almost half of runners running this way.
What is the purpose of knowing if you are a pronator or supinator?
If you are a regular runner or like to go for walks regularly, it is important to know if you are a pronator or supinator so that avoid future injuries. Thus, pronators usually have plantar fasciitis, or what is the same, ankle pain, in the knees and even in the lower back if the way you step is not corrected. For their part, supinators usually suffer pain in the knees and are prone to suffer sprains or tears of ligaments.
Obviously, all of this is conditional on the degree of supination or pronation let each one suffer alongside the level and frequency of sport practiced. The solution is to acquire some adapted sports shoes to the way of stepping of each one and, if necessary, opt for a insoles that help make the footprint in the most neutral way possible. If you want to know how to tell if you are a pronator or supinator, keep reading.
How to know if you are a pronator or supinator
There are several ways to check if a person is a pronator or supinator; and the most obvious and quickest is look at the wear of sports shoes. To do this, look carefully at the sole of the sports shoes you usually run in; Try to check some older shoes, as the wear will be more noticeable.
As a general rule, the vast majority of athletes wear their external heel area, so if you look at that area it won't give you much information. On the other hand, if you look at the middle and upper part From the sole you will have much more information with which to determine if you are a pronator or supinator.
Shoe wear information
- A runner neutral will have a linear wear towards the big toe area, almost drawing a diagonal line from the outer heel towards the big toe. If you observe linear wear between both areas, you have a neutral footprint.
- A runner pronator It will also have wear on the big toe, but instead of only extending in a straight line to the heel area, it will also wear will be observed throughout the entire inner area of the foot. If the wear is present in the entire interior area of the shoe except for the heel, we will be talking about a pronating footprint.
- Finally, in the case of an athlete supinator the wear of the upper area of the sole will be observed in the external part of the sole, showing more pronounced signs of wear on the area of the other toes of the foot and not in the big toe area.
In short, it is about observing the path that the foot makes throughout the footprint, especially in the ground takeoff zone, or what is the same, from the arch to the fingers.
Other ways to know if you are a pronator or supinator
There are a couple more tricks to check if your footprint is pronating or supinating and that you can alternate with the sole wear method.
footprint mark
A very efficient way to check someone's footprint is through the mark that leaves its mark or footprint. Thus, if you wet your feet in water and place them on absorbent paper, you will be able to take a look at the type of footprint you leave on the paper after stepping on it.
If the silhouette of the footsorrows shows a bow you may be pronator. On the other hand, if your footprint It is very marked on the outside, revealing a very large arch., you are probably supinator. Finally, if the arch is relatively normal, neither too large nor too small, it reveals a neutral footprint.
Knee flexion
Another method that you can use to detect your type of footprint is through the bending your knees, although it is not as effective a method as the previous ones. This trick consists of, with bare feet and together, bending the knee three times to maintain the flexed position the third time and checking the knees. If they are together is posible that will be pronator; On the other hand, if they remain separated, you may be supinator.
With these simple tricks you can determine If your footprint is pronated or supinated; In any case, we encourage you to consult with a professional to determine your type of footprint and if it is necessary to resort to some type of help such as adapted shoes or insoles.
