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Overpronation is a way of moving your feet when you step that flattens and stretches the arch of your foot. Over time, it can strain your muscles and increase your injury risk.

You may not put much thought into how your foot hits the ground when you walk or run. After all, it feels automatic. You make the motion countless times throughout the day.

How you step actually does matter for your health, especially if you participate in sports, like running.

As your arch flattens and stretches, your muscles, tendons, and ligaments are strained. You may be at a higher risk of developing certain injuries.

Learn more: Plantar fasciitis stretches to soothe heal pain »

A quick and easy way to see if you overpronate is to look at the bottom of your shoes for signs of wear and tear. If most of the wear is on the inside sole near the ball of the foot and near

the big toe, there’s a good possibility that you overpronate. You may even notice that your shoes tilt inward if you look at them on a flat surface.

Now take a look at your bare feet. Do you have low arches or flat feet? This may be another sign.

People who overpronate also experience a number of symptoms, including:

Another way to tell if you overpronate is to look at your shins. Try following the line of your bone from your knee all the way to your ankle. If this line leads toward the inside portion of

your foot, you may be overpronating. Ideally, you want the line of your bone to lead to the first or second toe.

Beyond self-diagnosis, you may want to visit a podiatrist, physical therapist, or another doctor to have what’s called a video gait analysis. During this test, a video is taken of you

running or walking on a treadmill. This footage is then slowed down and looked at by your doctor. When your gait, or how you walk, is looked at in slow motion, your doctor can determine if

you overpronate.

You can also ask your doctor about 3D foot mapping. You step on a special mat with or without your shoes on. This mat has lots of sensors that feed information to a computer about how your

foot strikes the ground when you walk. To test for overpronation, your doctor would likely see that much of the pressure of your step is toward the arch of your foot.

Some running shops, like ASICS in London, also offer these types of tests. If you’re experiencing symptoms or injuries, though, it may be best to head see your doctor.

You may get some relief by choosing different shoes or adding inserts to your shoes. These inserts are called orthotics. You can get them over the counter or by prescription, and in some

cases, your health insurance may even cover part of the cost. Orthotics support your arch and can improve the way your foot hits the ground. They may ease the pain you are experiencing and

reduce your pronation during activities.

Prescription orthotics are custom made for you using the information from your gait analysis. Non-prescription orthotics are made by more general sizes and shapes. You place these devices in

your shoes before walking or engaging in other activities.

Orthotics are a passive form of supporting your arches and correcting movement. Your doctor may also suggest physical therapy or even chiropractic work to actively change your gait over

time.

Shoes that may work best for overpronators include stability shoes. This type generally helps to distribute the impact of your gait to lessen the pronation. These shoes may also be labeled

as “motion control” and have extra arch support for flat feet and extra cushioning. Some athletic shoes are also targeted towards overpronators. Ask a store associate if they have a section

of shoes for overpronation.

Some exercises and stretches may help relieve pain or discomfort, or retrain your gait by raising and strengthening your arches to correct the alignment of the ankles and the knees.

A duck stand may also help you by “waking up” your glutes. These muscles play a role in how much you pronate.

This stretch is also sometimes called a wall stretch. You may want to do this stretch while in your orthotics to make sure you aren’t stretching the wrong muscles or tendons.

If you’re experiencing pain or injury as a result of overpronation, visit your doctor. There are many ways you can work toward getting relief. It may be as simple as changing your workout

shoes or adding a custom orthotic. Certain exercises with the guidance from a doctor or physical therapist may also help by actively stretching and strengthening your legs and feet.

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