Is Pronation Still Relevant?
At TFC Podiatry in Point Cook, we get ased a lot about pronation. Some people have flat feet that get sore, and some don’t. Podiatrists have been looking at the link between foot posture and pain since Podiatry was first invented.
Pronation is the movement that is your foot flattening out. When the arch of the foot appears to drop and the ankle appears to fall inwards. In previous times, prontation was considered a disability, we’ve all heard of people being kept out of the army with flat feet.These days are long passed and we have realised that all feet flatten out to a certain extent and we are all on a range of foot arch profiles.
In modern medicine where treatments and assessments are based on evidence is there still relevance in assessing and treating foot posture?
In short; yes! Pronation is not generally a great predictor of injury, however when linked to certain problems in the foot and ankle it can be seen to place extra stress on specific tissues. From lower back pain, to knee pain and plenty of foot and ankle problems, treating pronation or reducing the force from pronation through orthotics and footwear can be one of the most effective treatment methods.
This often rings true for patients with a “normal arch” who can still benefit from orthotic therapy even though they do not have flat feet. If you would like to find out what controlling pronation feels like book an appointment online.
