Have you ever checked the way that your outer soles wear down? If you tend to pronate as you walk, you may see that it wears down at an angle. If you tend to drag your feet when you walk, the back of the soles will be unevenly worn down when compared to the front of the shoes.

If you haven’t recently taken the time to check your gait (the way you walk), it may be a good time to do so! Take a few moments to review the following:

1. Check your standing posture. If you stand up straight, do you tend to lean on one side? Do you hunch? This is a good starting point to fix any gait issues.
2. Walk across the room barefoot. Now walk back in slow motion. Your foot should strike the ground in this sequence: heel, middle, ball of foot, toes. You should be rolling off your toes on one foot as the other foot’s heel hits the ground.
3. Walk slowly across the room again. Which way are your toes pointing? Are your toes (especially the big toes) pointing inward or outward? They should be facing straight ahead. If your toes face inward, it’s called in-toeing. When they are facing outward, it’s called out-toeing. This is something you want to pay attention to, especially for children.
4. Check for flatfootedness or stomping. If you tend to pronate (roll your ankle inwards), it can put weight on the inside of your feet and make your feet flat. Additionally, if you tend to stomp, rather than walking lightly, it can cause high impact on ankles and knees. This can cause future joint pain.

Walking properly is important to prevent future issues. In-toeing, out-toeing, pronating, supinating, or other gait problems can cause deformities or other painful issues, including plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.

If you’re not sure whether or not you have a proper gait, come see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy for a gait analysis. Make an appointment today to have your feet assessed and treated with care. We are located in Clark, NJ and serve patients in all of Union County! We keep you walking!