Oversupination is a term to describe the motion of a person’s foot striking the ground and rolling outward as the person continues to move. While it affects fewer people than overpronation, it can be just as damaging, though many people live with their oversupination without too much trouble. However, if those who oversupinate pursue a regular running routine, these people are courting injury.
At Treadmill Reviews, we are often asked if treadmills can help protect against oversupination and the answer is – maybe. If you use your treadmill correctly, you can correct your oversupination but it has to be a concentrated effort.
Treadmills Are Ideal For Correcting Oversupination
What makes a treadmill ideal for correcting oversupination covers several factors. Some of these factors are:
- Shock-absorbing deck – Quality treadmills can have up to 30% better shock absorption than you can receive from running on any other surfaces. This can take some of the strain off of your legs as you work on your oversupination.
- Greater control – While you can plan out your running route, you can’t control all factors outdoors. With a treadmill, you can alter pace, incline, tempo, and more very easily in ways that are not achievable outdoors.
- Able to focus – Choosing to use a treadmill rather than run outside will allow you to focus on your gait. A large part of correcting oversupination is the individual’s focus on their foot placement. With a treadmill, you do not need to watch for danger as you would need to outside and instead focus the majority of your attention on how you are placing your feet.
Techniques To Correct Oversupination On A Treadmill
As it is clear that using a treadmill is one of the best ways to correct your oversupination, there are some techniques you will need to implement to benefit from your treadmill.
- Shorten your stride – A shorter cadence will allow you to make quicker and lighter adjustments to your stride as you run. You can set your treadmill to short intervals to help you work on changing your stride.
- Utilize incline range – Both incline and decline can alter our normal running gait, so you will want to utilize both if they are available on your treadmill. Short striding incline steps are an ideal way to retrain your body.
- Wear the right shoes – Your treadmill should be paired with the right running shoes to help you overcome your oversupination. The shoes will support your higher arches and cradle your foot as it tries to roll outward. Its cushioning combined with the treadmill will help de-stress your leg muscles and joints.
Oversupination can be hard on all of your lower body, but by using a treadmill, you can train yourself out of your natural gait pattern and strengthen your body.