Have you realized that your feet or hands are rolling outward, and it feels like there might be something wrong? This could be the so-called supination. If you want to know more about supination and what could cause it, you found the right article here. Here we have all the information that you need!

What is supination?

The so-called supination can happen in your arm, hand, and foot. It means that the palm and forearm are facing upwards in your arm and hand area. The opposite, let’s say your arm and hand are facing down; it is called pronation. It is a bit different when it comes to your feet; here, it depends where you put your weight. Would you say that you put weight on the outsides of your feet? If so, you might have a cause of supination here. The foot bends outwards and might leave your legs in an “O-shape.” Sometimes supination is challenging to see because it can come in different strengths. Some people have severe supination, which shows in a strong bending of the foot.

How to identify supination

Especially if you are running regularly, it is essential to know that you don’t suffer from supination or overpronation. This could lead to many negative side effects, like pain and injuries, that can be detrimental if you are training for, for example, a marathon. If you worry that you might suffer from supination, we recommend seeing a doctor. If you have a coach for your training, this person will also help you to identify if you are suffering from supination in your foot. You can also let someone else take a photo of your feet while standing up; in severe cases, you will be able to see if your feet are bending outwards. In other cases, if you have just started your training, you should get your footwork double-checked to be sure that you are not putting your weight on the wrong parts of your feet.

What are the consequences of supination?

Why should you even worry about supination? That is a good question! Here we want to give you all the information you need about the most common consequences of supination. 

Pain

Pain is the most common consequence of supination. It is well known as one of the many causes of an imbalance in the body. It seems like a small thing to just put your body weight on the outsides of your feet, but this changes your whole posture. Especially when you are planning on running a (Half-) Marathon, it can be a burden on your body. Therefore, even the slightest imbalance can cause pain in your feet, legs, knees, hips, and back.

Injuries

If you suffer from supination but ignore the problem and pain, you might set yourself up for injuries. You can treat your pain with pain medication, but this doesn’t eliminate the problem. Therefore, it is just a matter of time until you injure yourself. If you don’t want that and want to be sure that you can finish your trading, you need to address the problem immediately. 

How to address supination 

If you are already suffering from pain, you need to go to a foot professional and let him analyze the severity of your supination. He will then help to fix your misalignment. This can be done by physical therapy or using the right shoes. We highly recommend running shoes for supination. You can find more about this topic at changeaholic!