Pronation

Pronation is when the ankles roll inwards. It is a common biomechanical problem that occurs in the walking process when a person's arches collapse under weight bearing. This motion can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, which is the main tissue at the bottom of the foot, possibly causing severe discomfort and eventually leading to further foot problems. Without properly supported arches, even walking can pull the body out of alignment and cause painful stress, strain, and fatigue of the lower extremities.

Pronation can be detected from the pressure map, during the sole examination process, in the following ways:

• the ligament connecting the heel to the Achilles tendon is curved, whereas it should be straight;
• the outline of the foot along the side support pressure area is curved, whereas it should be straight;
• the pressure area on the outside of the pressure area along the side of the foot does not touch the outline of the foot. This means the pressure along the side of the foot has shifted towards the inside of the foot;
• the high pressure area (white/blue) on the heel tends to be more towards the inside of the heel;
• the high pressure area (white/blue) on the metatarsal zone tends to be more towards the bunion area on the inside of the foot;
• The inside ankle bones come inwards towards eachother (ie. they stick out), and the whole foot structure is rolling inwards.

Pronation is usually caused by a muscle weakness in the ankle.

The common perception is that patients have pronation when they have flat feet, however a patient who has high arches can also have pronation.

It is also possible that a patient has different degrees of pronation on each foot. This can lead to an unbalanced condition and eventually lead to further symptoms such as a sore back and sore joints.

Treatment:
The treatment for this problem is a pair of custom made Pedikom restorative orthotics. The orthotics will push the bones, joints, ligaments and muscles back into the correct alignment and will re-distribute the body weight over the three points on the sole as demonstrated by the pressure map for the "Normal Feet". With time and continuous use the orthotics will alleviate existing problems and prevent new problems from occurring.

The Pedikom orthotics will help support the feet and ankles, preventing the "rolling in" effect and providing a greater confidence and balance to the patient, along with greater comfort and reduced pain.