Question
My daughter was told by her sports rehab therapist that she needs arch supports for B overpronation.  What does B overpronation mean?  She does have a narrow foot.  I also would like to know what type of inserts are best for playing sports as well as everyday use?  She is 16 and I do not feel custom inserts are the way to go at this point with the cost starting at $300.00.  Also, do you recommend full inserts or partial inserts?  How often do you recommend they be replaced?  

Thanks sooo much for your advice.

Answer
Hello Ann

Sorry to hear about your daughter's challenges. It is always tough, especially for us - the parents, when anything happens to our children.

Ovrpronation is a medical word. Pronation means, walking normally. Overpronation means, you are walking to wide, or to narrow, etc. with your steps. The body is a well-balanced machine. When something does not move normally, everything around (in her case, legs, hips) is put under stress to try to correct the situation.

Dr. Scholls has very good foot, and arch supports that are reasonable in price. I wear them all the time. I bought mine at Walmart. They have a pair for heavy-duty use that I use, and swear by. They are brown on the bottom, green where your foot goes. Cost $19.00. I recommend them even for you. Really makes a difference in daily walking, running and standing.

Redwing shoes, if there is one in your town, also makes excellent foot inserts, around $35.00. But I would have your daughter try the Dr. Scholls ones first.

Custom inserts only if the store-brands do not work. Full inserts ONLY. The partial inserts are painful - right at the line where the insert ends. Again, personal experience; I could not get use to partials no matter how hard I tried.

Replacement; when the soft rubber that they are made out of goes flat or get's thin. Mine last about 6 months.

Be sure to take them out of the shoes every night so they can dry out. Sweat from the foot makes them softer and not work as well. Drying them every night will help the feet and the shoes.

Now to exercise; sports will help her develop strong muscles to overcompensate the overpronation.

What she can do also;

Standing in the kitchen, hands on the edge of the kitchen counter. Put one foot back, firmly on the floor. Put the other knee forward a bit. Bring her body forward, stretching the calf of the foot set back. Go forward and back 10 times. FEEL the calf stretch. Keep the foot firmly on the floor at all times. Then reverse the feet and do again. 10 times.

Do every day.

Step back a bit, hands on the top of the counter top. Using your hands for balance, squat down slowly, go up slowly. 10 times. Do every day.

These two exercises will stretch and tighten up the muscles in the feet and legs.

You can do this exercise many times a day, for even better results and success.

Go to Home Depot, buy a couple of 5-gallon pails with lids.
Put some water in each pail. Pick up the pails, holding them for 60 seconds. Keep your elbows bent, your knees bent, and bending over. By bending the joints, you make the muscles hold the weight, not your bones.

What this does; tightens up and fatiques all the muscles in the body. You do this exercise every OTHER day so the muscles can have a day of recovery. Her body will get stronger, tighter. Her bones will get stronger. Her symmetry will be more perfect. Important to maintain good pronation when walking.

Once a week, add a little more water to the pails.

Mom can do these exercises too. Children are more likely to do them when the parents do them along side of the children.

I use a wall clock with a sweep second hand to keep track of 60 seconds. I lay the clock on the floor.

And that should help your daughter greatly deal with this challenge in life (tip; life is a flood of challenges, as you and I know as parents. If you are strong, you can handle them easier).

Thanks for the questions. If you have any more questions, please write again.