Did you know that the type of footstep influences health as a whole? Those who usually feel pain in several parts of the body, especially in the legs, back, hips and knees, may have an inadequate step.
An important point to avoid this type of problem is the choice of footwear, such as tight shoes. This is because the wrong model can cause serious injuries, deformities, and chronic pain.
Do you want to know how types of footwear can affect your health? Then follow this post!
Know the types of footsteps
The way each person steps is determined by anatomical characteristics and the influence of external factors. There are, basically, three types of stepping styles: neutral, pronated and supinated.
Neutral Feet
The neutral step is, in theory, considered normal and correct. Here the foot rests on the ground in a uniform manner, distributing the weight of the body in a balanced way.
In this type of step, the person propels his/her stride with the entire front part of the foot. The beginning of the movement starts with the outer part of the heel and the foot turns slightly inward, touching the ground with the outer side of the heel. Then there is a moderate inward twist and the stride ends in the middle of the sole of the foot.
It is the most common stride. It is estimated that 45% of the world population has it. Therefore, most sneakers that are sold take this stride into consideration.
Pronounced stride
The pronated step, also called “flat foot”, is quite common. Pronators step inward, that is, there is an internal rotation of the foot and ankle. Consequently, the weight of the body is also thrown onto the inside of the feet. The pronator normally wears out the inside of the shoe.
In this case the stride begins with the left side of the heel and ends in the region near the big toe. It is a type of step that is usually more common in women to prepare the body for pregnancy.
The most suitable shoes for those with a pronated step have cushioning and stability control.
Supinated stepping
The supinated step is characterized by stepping outwards, that is, the weight of the body is projected towards the external side of the feet. This usually happens to people who have a very pronated arch of the foot, also called a flatfoot.
The person uses the little toe area to propel the foot forward and ends the foot strike in this same region. It is the rarest footstep there is, so that 5% of the population has this type.
The foot of people who have this type of step is stiffer, so their shoes need to have greater reinforcement in the cushioning region and stability control.
Learn how to identify your stride type
There are some simple ways to identify your type of footstep in order to choose the right footwear for your needs.
The simplest way is to look at the wear on the sole of your shoe. If it is even, your footstep is neutral. If the inner part is more worn, your step is pronated. But, if it is on the outside, your step type is probably supinated.
If you don’t have a used sapatos masculinos to evaluate, you can do a home test. It is simple and helps a lot in this regard. It uses only a newspaper and water.
Wet the sole of the foot and walk on the sheet of newspaper. Then observe the drawing formed on the paper. In neutral stepping, the wet areas will be uniform. If your step is supinated, the areas that will be wetter are the heel and the toe. If it is pronated, it indicates a flat foot. In this way, the whole foot will be marked on the paper.
However, the best way is to look for a specialist (orthopedic doctor, physical therapist, therapist, among others), who will evaluate if the change in footprint is not related to some kind of disease or bone malformation. If this is the case, the necessary procedures will be performed to resolve the issue.
If it is not a question of health problems, it will be enough to adjust the footwear. This is especially important if you are an athlete or intend to start doing more regular physical activity.
If you do not use the right shoes, you may have from superficial injuries to sprains or more serious problems such as calluses, blisters, and bone injuries (stress fractures, tendonitis, and shinitis, among others). They can cause serious and often chronic problems, impairing your quality of life.
Understand the relationship between your foot type and your health
When we step in an inadequate manner, we affect several parts of the body: knees, hips, joints, and spine. Many times, the body performs compensations that increase the overload on the joints, causing a lot of discomfort.
So, that strong pain that you feel in your back, for example, may have to do with your type of step. However, the consequences of this act can vary from superficial lesions, such as blisters and calluses, to chronic lesions, such as bone deformities. All this happens because of the individual’s body imbalance.
Learn how to avoid these problems
The first step in avoiding problems related to your foot type is to identify your foot type. As we informed, this can be done by observing the sole of the shoe. If it presents wear on the outer part, the step is supinated. If the wear is on the inner part of the sole, the step is pronated. If the wear is the same on both extremities, the step is neutral.
As you have seen, the types of footsteps impact the health of the body as a whole. Don’t wait to seek help only when you have pain: always do prevention. This work can be done with an orthopedic doctor.
Observing your foot type is a way to take care of your health, avoiding a series of health problems that can occur due to the use of wrong shoes. Therefore, it is fundamental that you do not leave this aside and invest in your health. So, schedule your appointment and learn more about our procedures!
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