Underpronation shoes are designed to encourage the foot and ankle to rotate inward when the foot hits the ground. Such shoes also are referred to as cushioning shoes, because they contain a large amount of soft material to absorb as much impact as possible. The cushioning also allows the foot to roll inward more than other shoes. Underpronation shoes are usually curved in shape without stability features.
When the foot hits the ground, either while running or while walking, the ankle naturally turns inward to absorb some of the shock. Many people, especially those who have flat feet, suffer from overpronation, in which the foot rolls inward too much. This results in stress on the rest of the body’s kinetic chain. A less common condition is underpronation, in which the ankle doesn’t roll inward enough. Underpronation shoes are important for reducing the effects of the condition and preventing injury.
Underpronation shoes are designed to encourage the ankle and foot to move inward as much as possible. Unlike shoes for overpronation, underpronation footwear doesn't have a large amount of support for the foot arch, because this can prevent inward rotation. Shoes that contain medial posts or other types of stability technology should be avoided by underpronators. Underpronation shoes are usually referred to as cushioning shoes, while overpronation shoes are known as motion control or stability shoes.
There are a number of shapes for running shoe, but the three most common categories are straight, curved and semi-curved. Shoes for underpronation are usually curved, because this helps the shoe to pronate as much as possible. Straight shoes don’t encourage pronation and, therefore, aren’t suitable for underpronation.
The ankle doesn’t roll inward as much as it should when a person suffers from underpronation, so the appropriate shoes also contain a lot of cushioning. The ankle and foot don’t absorb the proper amount of impact in people that underpronate, so the shoe is designed to compensate for this as much as possible. Underpronation shoes also help to evenly distribute the force of impact across the foot.
There are a number of brands that manufacture underpronation shoes. While the condition isn’t as common as overpronation, there are still many amateur and professional athletes who suffer from the problem. When choosing an underpronation shoe, it’s important to get them fitted correctly. If the shoe isn’t correctly fitted, then it may not encourage pronation as much as it should.
