Being overweight is itself a problem. It comes with lots of difficulties in life. Being a heavy individual I myself face so many difficulties in life doing my daily chores. An obese and heavy person is not flexible like their healthy and fit counterparts.
Keeping apart the major health related issues, carrying their own weight while working is really a difficult issue. When you have more body weight, then your legs and knees will be tired. It is difficult for a morbidly obese person to walk and stand for a long time. This sometimes creates many feet related issues.
Most of the common foot related issue overweight people face is overpronation of foot. There are many feet related issues caused by obesity. Putting so much weight on the legs is the cause of different foot related issues.
Today we will discuss overpronation of the foot. How obese people may get overpronation problem and what are the solution.
What Is Pronation?
When we walk normal feet move from side to side. It is the natural way of moving. While walking or running stride the weight of the body is transferred from heel to the ball of the foot. About 15 percent of the foot moves inward towards the arch of the foot. This is called pronation. It absorbs the shock and keeps the ankle and legs properly aligned. As a result, you are less prone to injuries.
What is Under pronation?
In the case under pronation the foot rolls outward from the ankle and the pressure will be on outer toes. In another word it is also called supination.
What is Overpronation?
Overpronation is the symptom that occurs when your gait, that is the way you run or walk, causes the arches of your feet to flatten more than normal. As a result, it puts strain on the muscles, tendon and ligaments that support the arches.
Overpronation Vs Flat Feet
Overpronation refers to the gait or the way you walk, it can also cause flat feet. But flat feet is a medical condition in which you have no arch or little arch. Flat feet is mostly hereditary.
Causes of Over pronation
There are different causes of overpronation. These are
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Any type nerve problem
- Injury in cartilage and ligaments of foot
Symptoms Of Overpronation
Because of overpronation you might develop many health issues. Because of the flat feet you may get heel pain, hip pain, back pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, bunions (painful bony lumps on outside of big toe) etc.
Sometimes your shoe can tell if you have overpronation or not. If the inside section of your shoes’ soles show more wear than the outside section, you might have overpronation.
Diagnosis
If you are obese then the maximum chances you have or may develop overpronation in foot. How to diagnose if you have overpronation. Methods to check
- Stand on the floor are look at your feet. If there is no clear space between the foot and the floor. Then you must have overpronation.
- Check the soles of a pair of shoes. If most of the wear is on the inner side of the shoe, there may be overpronation.
- Check the footprint of your wet feet, A person with normal pronation will notice their heelprint connected to the toeprints with about half of their foot width. A person who overpronates will notice their heelprint connected with the full width of their foot.
If you checked all the steps and are still experiencing pain then you should consult a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, or physical therapist or a specialist of overpronation.
How Heavy People Can Prevent Overpronation
Preventing overpronation is not possible, but you can reduce the impact by following some measures like wearing orthotics and supportive footwear.
Reducing your body weight will help to reduce the risks.
You can follow some strengthening exercises for foot to reduce the risk of getting overpronation.
Treatment of Overpronation
There is not any such specific treatment for flat feet or overpronation for heavy people. But you can reduce pain by following some preventive measures.
- By using supportive or motion control shoes, also known as overpronation shoes for heavy people.
- Using orthotics.
- Taking NDAIDS for reducing pain.
- Reducing body weight.
- Doing strengthening exercises to strengthen the arches and muscles around them.
Footwear
Special supportive shoes are needed for people with overpronation for walking and running. If you have flat feet, you should choose shoes with extra support and stability which will reduce the pain in each step. There are special shoes for overpronators available in the market.
Always check the shoes if they have a strong and sturdy heel counter. It will provide stability to the foot.
Check if the shoes have a dense midsole as it will uphold the arch. Opt for a wide base support in the middle of the foot. It will prevent the arch from collapsing inward.
Exercises For Overpronation
Always consult a doctor. He/she can recommend you some specific exercises for overpronation. These are some exercises which you can get some relief.
1. Calf Raise
- It will strengthen the calf muscles.
- Stand a little erect and lift both the heels above as much as possible off the ground.
- Stay in this position for 5 seconds and then lower your feet.
- Repeat this for 15-20 times.
2. Jump Squat
- It will strengthen the calf muscle.
- Turn the toes outward, stand with your feet slightly apart.
- Erect your spine, send the hips back and bend the knees, so that the glutes will be lower than your knees.
- From the squatting position, jump up and land as softly as possible.
- Repeat this up to 10 times.
3. Heel Stretch
- It will stretch the Achilles tendon.
- Stand on the floor with both feet flat.
- Step forward with one foot.
- Bend the front leg and push forward while keeping the spine straight so that all your weight is on the front foot.
- Feel the stretch in the back leg and Achilles tendon.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Change feet and repeat four times.
4. Toe Raises
- Stand with both feet on the floor.
- Press the right big toe on the floor and lift the other toes of the right foot.
- Stay in this position for 5 secs.
- Next press the smaller toes on the floor and lift the big toe for 5 secs.
- Repeat the same with other foot.
- Repeat each exercise 5-10 times.
Wearing Orthotics
There are two types of orthotics which can be used to minimize the impact of the way you walk.
One is orthotic inserts that can be slipped into shoes to offer extra arch support. This will provide support and cushioning. These types of orthotic inserts can be bought from shoe stores without prescription. These are made up of plastic, foam or gel. They are the best shoe insoles for heavy people. These will fit into your shoes. But these are not custom made. They can provide arch support or extra cushioning on the heel, around the toes, or for your entire foot. But they will not correct your foot problem.
Orthotics are different. These are prescribed by professionals. These are medical devices which can be worn inside shoes to correct biochemical foot problems like the way you walk or run.
Final point
Over pronation is sometimes called flat feet. Sometimes people are born with flat feet. But in many cases flat feet can be developed with obesity and many other medical conditions.
Hope this article have cleared your doubts that how obese people can have overpronation of feet.