Solving children’s foot pain

Posted on: 16 August 2016

How long should a pair of shoes last? Of course, a lot can depend on the quality of the shoes in question. But the speed with which you go through shoes can also depend on your feet. Some feet (and your subsequent style of walking) can put a pair of shoes under significant stress. If you find yourself needing to throw out your shoes with a regularity that you consider to be a bit much, you might simply be pronating or supinating as you walk. Don't worry—you're certainly not alone. But what is pronating or supinating anyway? And how do these issues affect the life of your shoes?

It's All in the Sole

Take a pair of shoes that you wear quite often. This examination works best on flat-soled shoes. Are the soles of your shoes noticeably more worn out on one side? You might be able to see that the tread has worn away (or possibly worn through) on the side in question. If the inward facing sides of the soles of your shoes is noticeably worn, you might be pronating. If the outward facing sides of the soles of your shoes is noticeably worn, you might be supinating. These conditions affect your style of walking, and yet they are not serious.

Pronation

Pronation is when your foot rolls inward with the final motion of each step when you walk. There is no clearly-defined singular cause of pronation, and while it's not considered to be a major problem, it can affect the health of your feet and lower limbs if the condition is overly pronounced and is left untreated.

Supination

Supination results in the opposite effect to pronation. When you supinate as you walk, the final motion of each step is an outward roll. This can result in an irregular distribution of weight, with the weight of the step being carried by your smaller toes and the outward facing sides of your feet. Overly pronounced supination can cause problems for your smaller toes, as well as to the muscles and ligaments on the outward facing sides of your feet.

So now you know what pronation and supination are. But what can you do if you feel that you are affected by either of these conditions?

Treatment

You should simply see a podiatrist. If you've not been to a podiatrist recently (or ever), then ask your doctor for a referral. The podiatrist will be able to diagnose pronation or supination and can then proceed accordingly. The most common treatment is for the podiatrist to create custom-made orthotic inserts for your shoes, which will correct the distribution of weight as you walk. The podiatrist might also suggest specialist orthotic footwear when you undertake certain activities (such as when you play sports).

While pronation and supination can be annoying, it's not at all difficult to manage these conditions. And afterwards, your shoes will last so much longer!