Running Shoes Reviews

You can determine your pronation by looking at the wear marks on the shoes you have been running in. You’ll need an older pair that are well worn.

In my research, I’ve found two ways you can determine your pronation by observing your worn running shoes.

Method One
Set the shoes on a flat surface where you have clear view of the back of the shoes (I used the floor…now I’m dusty from laying down to get a good view… I’d recommend using a table). You are interested in the soles of the shoes at the heel. What to look for:

Normal pronator: The shoes will not lean in either direction.

Overpronator: The shoes will lean toward the inside edge.

Under pronator: The shoes will lean toward the outside edge.

Be cautious with this method of determining pronation–I just took a look at four different pairs of my shoes. Two of them are perfectly straight, and two of them are tilted somewhat inward. It looks to me like the construction of the shoe can have a lot to do with the way it looks from the back.

Method Two
Take a look at the bottoms of an old pair of running shoes. The wear patterns on the sole can be helpful clues in determining how you pronate.

Normal pronator: The shoes will have even wear across the width of the heels and toes.

Overpronator: The shoes will have wear marks along the outer edge of the heel and the inner edge of the toe.

Under pronator: The shoes will have wear marks along the outer edge of both the heel and the toe.

When I tried looking at my own shoes, I had a hard time reading them. I think the best method for determining your pronation is the wet footprint test. However, looking at your shoes is a good backup method.

There are two other methods for determining your pronation prescription:
Wet Footprint Test
Ankle Angle Mirror Test