Pronation

A triplanar movement at the subtalar joint combining eversion, dorsiflexion, and abduction. During gait, pronation is the natural shock absorption mechanism that occurs after heel strike. Excessive or prolonged pronation (overpronation) is when the foot remains in this position beyond midstance, failing to resupinate for push-off.

Excessive pronation collapses the medial arch, internally rotates the tibia and femur, and creates a chain of compensations upward through the knee and hip. It is associated with plantar fasciitis, shin splints, Achilles tendinopathy, medial knee stress, and hip internal rotation excess. The cause is frequently upstream -- hip weakness or pelvic obliquity -- not the foot itself.