The Best Supination Treatments

While some supination is normal, excessive supination needs to be addressed and corrected or it will lead to pain or worse, tissue damage. If left untreated, excess supination can lead to plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, tendonitis, stress fractures, bunions and heel spurs.

In this article, we’ll list some of the best treatments for treating excess supination.

What is Supination?

Supination is a term used to describe the upward and downward orientation of the foot, hand, or arm. Therefore, the definition of supination largely depends on what part of the body it is manifesting.

When it relates to the feet, it often refers to the insufficient inward roll of the foot after landing. In excess supination, the outer side of the foot and ankles are strained when you’re walking or running. This causes splints, bunions or calluses on the outside of the foot and pain in the heels and balls of the feet.

Supination can be caused by a number of things such as having a high foot arch or muscle weakness in the feet, calves and ankles, usually due to wearing ill-fitting footwear.

Wearing Supportive Footwear

One of the best ways to correct excess feet supination is by putting on well-fitting, supportive shoes with sufficient toe room.

If you have excess supination, your feet need cushioning, flexibility and enough support in the heel. Also, you need a more stable shoe with proper cushioning and a firm midsole.

The shoes you wear at this period are important because they help to keep the foot properly aligned, protecting the heel, arch and ankles.

More importantly, if you engage in high-impact activities such as exercise routines, jogging and sports, proper footwear is essential. Without a well-cushioned pair of shoes, the supination in the foot will exacerbate owing to the high force levels it absorbs.

Ensure you wear comfortable shoes that closely fit your foot contours but are not too tight. Also, the shoes should be the right length, width and depth, have a lot of tread, and a layer of cushioning throughout.

Avoid buying undersized or tight-fitting shoes and hope they will stretch with time. In addition, seek to replace your running shoes regularly, at least every six months or when the soles show signs of wear and tear.

When buying a new pair of footwear, it’s best to wait until the end of the day when your feet are at their largest.

Utilise Orthotic Inserts

Orthotic inserts are a common and effective treatment method for supination, helping to relieve pain and discomfort. These are clinically-proven heel seats often recommended by doctors to correct supination, although it has added benefits besides that.

For example, orthotics can help to relieve the stress and pain brought on by heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. These two conditions are often a cause of supination, especially when it has been left untreated for so long.

You can have your orthotics custom-made or buy them pre-made or fabricated, which are typically cheaper and just as effective. The difference between premade and custom-made orthotics is that they are made specifically for your feet. That means you’re using what should work best for you, particularly since it’s custom made.

The great thing about orthotic inserts is that you can swap them in and out of almost any pair of shoes. Furthermore, orthotics provides an extra layer of structural support and cushioning that you usually won’t find in many running shoes.

Some orthotics feature high-class tech, such as Fascia Bar Technology, which helps to stretch the plantar fascia.

Achilles Stretch

Although supination can occur in practically anyone, it is more common in individuals with tight Achilles tendons and with good reason. More so, a tight Achilles tendon cause’s tension in the ankle and foot as it restricts the proper range of motion. As a result, the individual suffers gait problems, which are typically diagnosed using a gait analysis test.

However, stretching your Achilles tendon has been discovered to be a proven way to correct supination.

Meanwhile, to effectively correct supination, you’re not stretching only your Achilles but your calves, thighs, hamstrings and quads as well.

When you stretch your tendons and ligaments, you will have stronger and more flexible tendons, muscles and ligaments. Beyond that, all these will work together as they are supposed to, giving you a strong, healthy gait.

Your ankles, feet, and legs work together; injury to one part is an injury to all – see it as an ecosystem. However, you can prevent a complete breakdown of that ecosystem by stretching and strengthening your tendons and ligaments before and after exercise.

Take a look at our 10 Best Supination Exercises to strengthen the feet.

Adequate Rest

In supination, as with many other foot problems, repetitive stress and continued overuse of the feet are major risk factors.

Overusing your legs and not giving it time to heal can lead to inflammation, micro-injuries, and strain in the tissues. Once strained, your body will attempt to overcompensate by adjusting the gate to favour the overused area.

While it may succeed in favouring the injured area, a problematic gait, supination, is created in the process.

Therefore, avoid overusing your legs as much as possible, but if that is unavoidable, give your feet time to rest. If you’re already suffering from supination, you can correct it by resting your feet between high-impact activities such as running and football.

Remember to give your feet time to adjust to the movements of a new exercise routine or activity by ramping up slowly.