It's designed to allow the foot to absorb shock and adapt to uneven ground. However, overpronation allows for hypermobility of the foot and increased rotation of all the joints of the lower extremity . Underpronation tends to be the exact opposite-the foot is so rigid that it does not allow for proper shock absorption or adaptation to uneven ground. Even if pronation is not a problem, footwear can be. Shoes with high heels, pointed toes, and poor support can lead to pain and injury.
Many people ignore warnings and fail to take simple, preventative measures to protect their feet.
Dancers, athletes, older individuals, and those who are overweight or diabetic are especially at risk. Dr. Karen Konarski-Hart blames fashion changes that led women from high heels to pumps and back again as a source of many of the foot problems she now treats. Several of them are associated with deformities of the foot, such as claw toes, hammertoes, and mallet toe. Many doctors of chiropractic prescribe orthotic inserts for their patients with foot problems. Orthotics have a very high success rate-as high as 76 percent for runners.