[anandbangalore]

Sportsmen and Sportswomen - I'm looking for your advice, since its you who're likely to have hit this condition with Overpronation and have looked for solutions.

In speaking with sports docs, I was advised orthotic inserts with arch support. The problem is that there isn't a validated list of inserts I should use. I now am scouring Amazon and online forums for advice on which brand/make of inserts I should buy.

My question on this forum is for advice if you have yourself used any specific brands of such inserts which provide arch support, and if you have additional advice on whom I can consult?

From my searches, I have seen 3 varieties of such inserts:
1. DrScholls type Gel shoe Inserts which cover the entire foot
2. Unknown brands selling small arch sized inserts which cover only the area of the foot arch
3. Custom made 3rd printed insoles which are pegged above the DrScholl type gel insoles.

I was hoping to get some validation and 1st hand experiences from folks playing sports on which solutions/brands they found relief with. Thanks in advance.

[ex-innova-guy]

Hi, I remember ninjatalli‘s post on something similar. Quoting him -

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Fantastic advice here. People who end up here looking for advice - please remember brand is secondary; the shoe model matters. You might go for a brand like Saucony or Brooks which make amazing shoes and yet end up with a shoe that doesn't work for your feet at all.

If the above information @gazole shared is too much to take in, go to a store that offer shoe fitting (example process) services. The process can vary from store to store but primarily they focus on 3 areas through questions and other means to get to shoe options that are ideal for you

- Understanding your walking or running profile
- Evaluating the anatomy of your feet
- Analyzing your walking style with a treadmill and walk/jog analysis

Many stores in India offer this as complimentary service. For instance only last week, my wife purchased running shoes at the Asics store in Brigade road, Bangalore after availing such a service. We visited 3 other brand stores and none offered such a service so we skipped them.

[ABHI_1512]

I have myself not used but have seen one of my close friend using Frido Arch Support insoles and getting relief for his condition. Dr Scholls products are always good in my view. So you can try out whatever gives you more support and comfort. Also, do try for specific shoes from Asics or similar brand which provide for conditions like over pronation.

Regards.

[wildsdi5530]

I'm an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Bangalore. I deal with foot and ankle problems and hence feel qualified to answer your query.

First thing to remember is that you cannot correct the arch problem without correcting the hind foot valgus.

Any footwear that you are using to correct pronation need to stabilise the hind foot, the mid foot and forefoot will automatically correct. Further support may be achieved with an arch support.

Look for an insole that corrects hind foot valgus and stabilises it, with or without an additional arch support.

[AYP]

Get in touch with ShapeCrunch. They do design and send custom insoles as per your feet. You can book an appointment post which, you shall be going to an Orthopedic who will then evaluate you and send the recommendation to the company, on the basis of which, custom insoles shall be made and sent to you.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

I'm an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Bangalore. I deal with foot and ankle problems and hence feel qualified to answer your query.

First thing to remember is that you cannot correct the arch problem without correcting the hind foot valgus.

Any footwear that you are using to correct pronation need to stabilise the hind foot, the mid foot and forefoot will automatically correct. Further support may be achieved with an arch support.

Look for an insole that corrects hind foot valgus and stabilises it, with or without an additional arch support.

Would it also be complicated by knock-knees / bow knees?

[km283]

Hi Anand - I am a regular runner and have lived with overpronation especially in my left foot for the last 15 years. We were in the US for a long time and after moving back to Bengaluru, have continued to do two things:

1. Office shoes - I use Dr Scholls orthotic support inserts - bought them in the US but don't know if that version is available in India

2. Running/Walking shoes - Always have used a good arch support shoe. Have worn the Brooks Beast for many years prior and for the last 3-4 years, have been using the Hoka Gaviota. I can run, walk for long distances without my pronation issues causing any issues.

[TorquePull]

I had this issue and it was fixed after using Vionic sandals for over 6 months. I couldn’t get proper arch insole for my running shoes, as the insole wasn’t as comfortable as the inbuilt insole and if I place it on top of inbuilt insole, it got uncomfortable to use and felt it to be unstable. Using the Vionic sandal on a daily basis fixed it, now there's a natural arch even while walking bare feet. There's also a similar looking model from Bata(2k) but it wasn’t as effective as the Vionic(5k) ones.

[2000rpm]

There is a Nike Shoe with a skeleton in the sole for the ARCH. Very popular amongst runners. I dont remember the name but.

Do search this one and try out at an outlet.

[manub22]

Around 3 years back when I came out from my sedentary lifestyle and started some changes to my lifestyle, including diet changes and exercise. I got introduced to a really great group of runners when I shifted to my new apartment.

In initial days of running I used to get ankle & knee pain, and I found out that its due to my foot overpronation. On advise of my fellow runners (veterans/marathoners) I came to know that this can be handled by stability & motion control shoes with leg strengthening exercises.

That time I was running with my Axis-Cumulus shoe which was a neutral shoe, and my friends observed that my foot roll inwards while landing, due to which I used to get pains after the long runs (5-10k that time). I also used orthotics, but they were too uncomfortable in runs, and even in walks. I checked online and got myself a SauconyGuide which is a stability shoe. It solved the problem a bit, but not much. But till now this shoe has been my go to shoe for long runs (>10k) and multiple half-marathons I have done in last 2 years.

Once I was checking a video of landing foot of Nigerian marathoners I could see that their foot also badly roll inwards, and came to know that overpronation is actually not the main problem, its actually the lack of strength. So I added some strength training to my routine, and I could see great progress, and didn't felt foot & joint pain after that, even after wearing neutral shoes. Recently bought AdidasBoston12 which is a neutral shoe, but I feel great running on them.

For lower body strength training I added squats, lunges, calf-raises, IT-band stretches, leg press, kettle bell swings, etc, all with add-on weights, 2-3 times a week (running & gym on alternate days, Sunday long run, Monday rest). Since last 2 years I'm following this routine and I've ran multiple half-marathons (21k), and gearing up for my first Full (42k) this this year (Hyd NMDC 25-Aug-2024).

Hope this helps, very useful topic and thread, looking for great suggestions where I can also get benefited !!!

[treyazaghtoth]

I'm an Orthopaedic Surgeon, and I deal with deformity correction.

As has been rightly pointed out, 'overpronation' isn't an isolated issue.

A deformity 'higher up' meaning in the knee or hip joint , will cause , as a matter of compensation, pronation deformities/attitude of the foot.

two parameters are required :

a) the degree of the deformity (quantification)
b) whether the deformity can be 'passively' brought back to neutral

Let me explain point (b)
Passive correction : this mean the doctor is able to bring back the foot to the neutral anatomical position.
This indirectly means, that the joint capsule and ligaments are supple enough to get passively corrected .
If passive correction is possible , then you will benefit from footwear as well as muscle strengthening exercises.

But if passive correction isn't possible, then surgery may be needed.
However before embarking on surgery, we have to quantify the deformity , and find out from which joint the deformity is coming from.

That brings me to point(a)
Weight bearing full length X-rays with weight bearing foot and ankle X-rays are needed for quantification.
Full length X-rays include the hip, knee and ankle joints.

Once we work out the angles(quantification) ,we take an MRI to asses the quality of the foot bones and their corresponding joints with ligaments .

The correction is based on the angles that we calculated and on the joint/ joints that are involved.

Thanks
Dinesh

[Nikhilvm4]

I have the same problem and after having tried multiple footwear brands and insoles have restricted myself to the following, Asics-Kayano series for running / sports and Birkenstock for daily wear sandals and shoes.
Asics-Kayano series is mainly a stability shoe recommended for overpronation and the Birkenstocks have unmatched arch support. Moving to either of these would take some time to get used to, but once your feet adapt to it you wont ever feel the need to try anything else. Do give it a try.

[manub22]

Adding to my previous response (cannot edit now hence another response), you can check some shoe stores which can check your pronation on a treadmill test. Like I've seen ASICS stores have treadmill and they can suggest a perfect shoe for you.

Some of stability shoes you can check are:
- Brooks: Adrenaline GTS, Launch GTS, Glycerin GTS, Hyperion GTS
- Asics: Kayano, GT 1000, GT 2000
- Saucony: Tempus, Guide, Ride
- Hoka: Arahi, Gaviota
- Nike: mostly are narrow and unstable, so won't suggest here

[Chhanda Das]

I am not a runner and have never been one. I was into archery with cheap bamboo bows and arrows as a sport before fibreglass bows and arrows came into fashion in India. However, due to my training in Yoga, I never had to suffer from leg/foot issues. Hence, I would suggest you to try Yoga too with specific emphasis on poses like Vajrasana or thunderbolt pose, etc. Consulting a chiropractor can help too.

During my son's Judo training days, we used to see quite a few people (especially those on the heavier side) suffer from pronation issues. The thing is that over pronation makes Judokas or Judo practitioners very susceptible to specific throwing techniques like Harai Goshi or the sweeping hip throw, Tai Otoshi or the body drop, etc. The standard recommendation for them was and still is cycling with the feet as much as safely possible to the side of the pedals. This was in addition to the regular ankle rolling exercises that Judokas perform as a part of the warm up routine before a practice session. Most of them got fixed within 4-6 months.

Apart from the suggestions mentioned above, you can try to consciously walk with a supination posture until you start walking subconsciously with a neutral posture.

Wishing you a speedy recovery

[EnigmaExplorer]

From my experience, I've found that getting the right orthotic inserts can make a huge difference. While there might not be a one-size-fits-all solution, a good starting point could be checking out reputable brands like Superfeet, Powerstep, or Spenco. They offer various options catering to different foot types and activity levels.

In terms of consulting, seeking advice from a podiatrist or a sports medicine specialist might be beneficial. They can assess your specific needs and recommend custom solutions if necessary. As for the varieties you've come across, I've personally found success with full-foot orthotic inserts like Dr. Scholl's, but it really depends on your individual comfort and support requirements.