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Supination occurs when the outer edge of the foot rolls outward. Supination, or underpronation as it is also called, causes people around the world to develop painful foot conditions. Your feet have an important function in your body. Not only do they take you where you want to go, but they are also at the base of your skeleton and bear all your weight. So they take care of you and you should take care of them.
Taking care of your feet and properly distributing your weight helps the rest of your body align properly. That’s why if you have issues with your feet, you will feel the effects everywhere in your body.
When your ankles supinate, most of your weight gets put on the outer edge of your foot, rather than it being distributed across the whole foot. And if left unchecked, it can lead to the following foot problems:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Medial tibial stress syndrome.
- Metatarsalgia
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Sprained ankles
- Stress fractures
Suffice to say, you don’t want that. So what are we going to do about it? Well, give you some solutions, of course! In this blog, we’ll explain how sustainable cork insoles can help you prevent ankle supination. So let’s get started!
How do cork insoles help you prevent ankle supination?
To find out how sustainable cork insoles combat supination, it’s useful to talk about the causes of supination of the ankle. Then we’ll explain what properties of cork insoles can help.
Incorrect footwear
Dad always said to never skimp on anything that goes between you and the ground. So that includes beds, cars, and footwear. Good shoes support the arch and soft tissues of the foot, which help protect the foot from injury.
The wrong type of shoe — such as rigid or tight shoes — cause supination and other foot problems. On the other hand, shoes that are too loose can also cause supination. Shoes that are worn out or have no arch support can also be the culprit.
But let’s be honest, a lot of the time people choose shoes based on looks. That’s why we recommend cork insoles. Cork insoles fit inside your shoe, where they provide support that the shoes itself might lack. And in the case of shoes that are too tight, some cork insoles are extra thin, so they fit in easily. On the flip side, if your shoes are too roomy, some extra thick insoles can do the trick.
Body misalignment
We can all sometimes feel a bit misaligned. But body misalignment can do some real damage to your body. If your body is not correctly aligned, some parts have to work harder to correct your posture and maintain balance. This issue can be made even worse if it happens during sports and workouts. By putting a misaligned body under pressure, supination and the related issues become worse.
So many people who have issues with supination, or underpronation, use posture-correcting footwear to keep their bodies healthy. An article in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science confirms that insoles are important for improving postural balance. Since cork insoles are naturally posture correcting, they are often used for this purpose. And by fixing your foot’s alignment, you can play sports, run, and jump without hurting yourself.
Prior injury
If you’ve been hurt before, you’re more vulnerable in the future. And that counts double for your feet. For example, if you had achilles tendonitis in the past, the chance of you suffering from supination issues is much larger. That’s because what doesn’t kill you sometimes actually makes you weaker. In the case of your feet, it can weaken the muscles in the foot ankle and leg.
When your feet have been injured before, giving them some extra support can make a big difference. Cork insoles absorb shocks to your feet from walking, running and simply standing. This is because cork is made up from honeycomb cells, which can absorb shocks without losing their supportive capabilities.
So, to conclude, the 3 main causes of ankle supination are incorrect footwear, poor alignment and prior injuries. And though cork insoles can’t completely fix all of these, they go a long way in reducing the harm they do to your body.
At Primal Soles, we make cork insoles exactly for this reason. Firstly, because the squishy supportive qualities of cork insoles are the optimal choice for the majority of people. But also because they allow you to support our planet, while you explore it.
We make the only 100% recyclable cork insoles in the market in accordance with EU regulations. The entire production process is CO2 negative. And we have a program in place that makes recycling them effortless for you. Because over time and after lots of exploring, your insoles will wear out. But we’ll always be there, at the end of the path, to give your feet the support they deserve.
So, why not try Primal Soles. We make insoles for flat feet and insoles for high arches. Or try our brand-new line, with a design based entirely off the feedback of thousands of users— Primal Clouds. Because they feel like walking on clouds.
Let nature support you. And support nature back.
Author Bio
Sanjay Ghosh is a sustainability copywriter, and he never walks anywhere without a pair of Primal Soles. With a focus on sustainable topics, he helps make the world a bit greener one blog at a time. Find out more on his website.
Biostrap. (n.d.). Foot supination: Causes, orthotics, and other treatments. Retrieved from https://www.biostrap.com
Healthline. (n.d.). Supination of the foot: Causes, treatment, and exercises. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/supination
Medical News Today. (n.d.). Supination of the foot: Causes and treatment. Retrieved from www.medicalnewstoday.com
NCBI. (n.d.). Effect of different insoles on postural balance: A systematic review. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820199/#:~:text=Postural%20insoles%20simulate%20correction%20reflexes%2C,10
Sports Injury Clinic. (n.d.). Supination (foot biomechanics) explained — Types, causes & treatment. Retrieved from https://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net
