The shoes on your feet are also a good indicator of if you need your shoes rotated or an alignment.
The wear patterns on your shoes can indicate wether you may be a supinator or a pronator. Pronation refers to the inward roll of the foot. A moderate amount of pronation is required for the foot to function properly. However potential damage and and an increased risk of injury can occur with excessive pronation.
Supination is the inverse of pronation and is the outward roll of the foot. However, excessive supination will place increased strain on the muscles and tendons of the ankle. The increased strain can lead ankle sprains or total ligament rupture.
Excessive pronation and supination can lead to:
- Arch pain
- Heel pain
- Flat feet
- Corns and calluses
- Ankle sprains
- Shin Splints
- Achilles tendonitis
- Knee pain
- Hip pain
- Back pain
- and more
There are many other things your shoes can tell you. If you believe you have an abnormal gait that causes pain, weak ankles or there have been changes to the wear patterns of your shoes you should have your gait evaluated. Attached is a link to the full article about what your car's tires are telling you. The article contains a cheat sheet with information about how to read your tires.
If your car's tires need an alignment it is best to take your car to the mechanic. However, if your feet are out of alignment it would be best to take your feet to us. We provide a full biomechanical gait analysis that identifies your unique walking pattern. The best way to align your feet (which also can help align the rest of your body) is with prescription orthotics. We use the latest technology to produce 3-D images of your feet and custom tailor orthotic inserts for your shoes that will address your unique alignment or support needs.
Check your tires, check your shoes, you never knew how much they were telling you. You will enjoy more miles out both if you make certain they are in alignment!
