Pronation of the foot what is it and is it bad?

Q and A  •  Wed 1 Jul 2020

Pronation is just the description of movement that occurs in three spatial planes, it is typically used in describing the way a person's foot and ankle moves during gait and commonly referred to as "ankle is rolling in". 

Is pronation bad? 

The answer to this question is yes and no. Like most things in life too little or much of a good thing can be detrimental.  When it comes to foot & ankle function it all about timing and severity. At heel strike, some ankle pronation is vital to absorb shock, too much, on the other hand, can load certain joints ligaments and tendons excessively making them prone to repetitive stress injuries and pain.

As the heel starts to lift off the ground during gait the foot and ankle are required to supinate or (roll out) which is the opposite of pronation. This allows the body to transfer weight to the forefoot in an efficient manner, failure to do so can result in damage to tissue which is overloaded.  Other factors such are age, weight, previous injuries and some chronic illnesses can reduce the tissue ability to withstand load and thus increase the risk of repetitive stress injuries if there is too little or too much pronation. 

If you feel your ankle is pronating excessively and causing problems book an appointment to have your biomechanics and foot function assessed by a Podiatrist. 

My Sports Podiatrist uses the latest in video and advanced digital assisted gait assessment. The RSscan™  Footscan system is an innovative diagnostic tool device that allows Podiatrists to analyze your biomechanics.