How Excess Pronation May Cause Knee Pain

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What Causes Leg Pain?
Leg and knee pain is a common condition that many people have and be caused by many different factors. A main cause of lower leg pain is a biomechanical condition known as overpronation. The pain is caused by producing an internal rotation of the lower leg and knee and can be diagnosed quite easily by detecting a rotation of the foot originating at the ankle. This can be seen most predominantly the outward curvature of the tendon that works to attach the heel and the calf muscle known as Achilles Tendon. As this twisting becomes more and more pronounced, a person with foot pronation can find that they have symptoms such as frequent ankle sprains, painful arches, lower back pain, heel spurs, shin splints, and of course knee pain. Pain in the knees can also occur from normal wear and tear to the joint, but when overpronation is evident, it causes a joint that should perform as a hinge only, to rotate. This joint is not created to rotate, and it is this inappropriate motion of the knee that leads to premature wear and tear on the bone resulting in long-term damage and severe pain in the knee joint.

What Else Causes Overpronation?

This condition is commonly caused by heredity and the positioning of the feet while a child is in the mother’s uterus. It will tend to deteriorate as a person develops because the parts of the knee become very weak. As the foot follows the weakness of these tissues, the inner ankle bone protrudes greatly. As the foot muscles accommodate this abnormal alignment, the person will find that they have an extremely flexible and flat foot. A number of external signs of this ailment can be abnormal wear and tear on the interior soles of shoes, very short arch height and also Morton’s toe. Morton’s toe is a condition, where the big toe is shorter than the second toe and can make the foot to turn inward.

A Common Treatment for Leg Pain

One of the ways to help correct this foot abnormality is by the use of orthotic insoles. Shoe orthotics are built to relieve overpronation by giving the arch support and offering greater stability to the weak ankle joints. They can be inserted into numerous types of shoes, but one should select a shoe that has adequate arch support and a firm midsole to start with. The shoes you use with these types of inserts will need to be deep enough to fit them. Frequently, by adding this additional arch support you will find it will bring more relief to your aching knees than using a knee brace. These devices work on your feet the same way that braces work to align your teeth. By producing the necessary arch they force the ankle joint back into alignment, which relieves the twisting on the knee and thus brings relief to the knee joint. Determining the cause of your pain should be fairly easy and using shoe orthotics to help the pain is a simple solution. Taking care of our joints is the first step to leading long, productive lives. Paying attention to their needs can ensure us a comfortable and happy state of health for years to come.