I owe my entire running career to orthotics. Without these specially made shoe inserts, I would have terrible hip and knee problems and that would prevent me from ever running any kind of decent mileage. Orthotics help me because they correct my “pronation” problem; some people use orthotics to correct “supination” problems. Let me explain.
Pronation occurs when the foot rolls inward and the the arch collapses. This creates a major lack of support for the ankles, legs, knees, and hips and contributes to serious injuries. A few injuries that are caused by pronation include: shin splits, IT-band pain, hamstring tightness, and hip pain. Podiatrists mold orthotics so that the foot does not collapse, which stabilizes the ankles, knees, hips, etc.
Supination occurs when the foot does not roll inward after landing; in short, it is the opposite of pronation. Runners who supinate face all kinds of problems include IT-band injuries and achilles tendon injuries. To correct supination, podiatrists will mold orthotics to allow the foot to land normally.
I highly recommend that you go to a trained podiatrist to get properly fitted for orthotics. Do not try to buy any ready-made varieties.
