Overpronation is an issue that affects many people, but particularly people who are overweight. It is where a person’s foot turns inward while walking, instead of walking in a neutral way your foot will roll inwards and the inner side of your foot will come in contact with the ground.
For someone who doesn’t exercise at all, overpronation is not a big deal. In fact, many sufferers may not even realise that they are doing it. But when people who overpronate begin to run they will begin to notice, due to the fact that running exaggerates any flaw. Overpronation can lead to many injuries, such as shin splints, bunions, and plantar fasciitis (which causes heel pain).
There isn’t really a cure for overpronation, but there are ways to prevent it from affecting your running. For serious sufferers a visit to a physical therapist or foot specialist might be necessary, but most sufferers just need to purchase the right pair of shoes!
What Type of Shoe Should You Wear?
In this review you will hear a lot about medial support, this is where the inner side of your foot is given extra support, this can extend all the way to your heel. Running shoes need to have a lot of support in the midsole, and a lot of stability is required. In this review we are going to evaluate stability, medial support, price, style (because even overpronators need to look good right?), and comfort.
| Name | Stability | Medial Support | Price | Style | Comfort | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asics GEL-Fortitude 7 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 18/25 |
| Saucony Guide 10 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 17/25 |
| Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 | 5/5 | 17/25 |
| Nike Lunarglide 9 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 21/25 |
| Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 19/25 |
Best Running Shoes For Overpronation #1: Asics GEL-Fortitude 7
Asics are a really well known and respected running shoe company who have put a lot of effort into sorting their shoes into ones that suit underpronators, neutral runners, and overpronators. They have a lot of advice on their website, and it would be a crime for any overpronation shoe review to ignore one of their best shoes.
The GEL-Fortitude 7 is an excellent specimen. It uses Speva midsole material to strengthen the midsole, and contains a rear-foot and forefoot gel cushioning system that will really benefit overpronators (who tend to wear down the midsole while running). There is also an outsole that provides even more cushioning and durability.
The shoes also utilise the Trusstic System Guidance construction, which helps to alter your running gait slightly. Not only saving the shoe (due to less midsole rubbing) but improving your running technique. Don’t expect this to completely cure your overpronation, but it could give you that little bit of help you need.
The style is pretty decent. Asics have never been known for their amazing looking shoes, but the GEL-Fortitude 7 is a step in the right direction. The price may be a little steep for some, but in terms of value for money this really is an excellent product.
Best Running Shoes For Overpronation #2: Saucony Guide 10
Saucony are a great shoe company that specialises in fast running shoes that suit the amateur and professional alike. They have an excellent product for overpronators too, with the Saucony Guide 10 being a truly exceptional shoe. They are specifically designed for overpronation, favouring people who are on the lower end of the range.
What you will notice when you first put these shoes on is the incredible stability that they offer, there is a lot of arch support and the upper really fits your foot well. The guidance that the shoe offers is also excellent, particularly for overpronators (but also neutral runners). The medial support is excellent, and the shoes are surprisingly durable.
There are many different colour/style variations available so it is a little difficult to review the style. Some of them look decent, particularly the navy grey and red one, but others look truly dreadful! Obviously this is all subjective though. Again, these are not cheap running shoes by any means – but due to their durability you will probably end up saving money in the long term!
Best Running Shoes For Overpronation #3: Saucony Hurricane ISO 2
Let’s get this out of the way, these shoes do not look great! The colour schemes are shocking and the outer support frame looks weird. So why is the Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 on this list? Two reasons, 1) Style is subjective, what looks awful to one person can look amazing to another, and 2) They are really good running shoes for an overpronators! Which is what this guide is all about.
The shoes have a floating support cage which really strengthens the midsole, the PWRGRID+ not only increases cushioning but it also centres the foot. This really helps correct the overpronation while also increasing comfort and improving running economy. The shoes are also fantastic as dispersing force across the foot, rather than just focusing on the point of impact – something that can really affect people who are overpronating.
These shoes are very comfort, very stable, and the medial support is fantastic. The price is a little lower than the previous two shoes, making it perfect for people on a tighter budget.
Best Running Shoes For Overpronation #4: Nike Lunarglide 9
Nike has an interesting approach to pronation/supination where they create entire ranges for each issue. Their stability range is designed exclusively for overpronators. The Nike Lunarglide is part of the range, the shoe we are looking at here is the Nike Lunarglide 9, the latest in their range.
The first thing that strikes you about these shoes is just how great they look. You could wear them during a race or while out walking. The cool grey colour scheme is particularly pleasant to look at. But these shoes are not just about looking pretty, they also support your feet amazingly, use one of the most comfortable foams ever (lunarlorn foam) and flyknit material that provides stability while keeping the shoes as light as possible.
The price is pretty average for the shoes on this list, and again is great value for money, expect these shoes to last you a long time (depending on how much you use them obviously). At the end of the day most of you reading this will know what to expect with a Nike running shoe, they are reliable, they are comfortable, and they look good. The Lunarglide 9 does all of this, while helping those with overpronation to run better.
Best Running Shoes For Overpronation #5: Mizuno Wave Inspire 13
The final shoe that we are going to look at comes from Mizuno, it’s called the Wave Inspire 13 and is a really good running shoe for overpronators who want to run fast and well during a race. They contain a double fan wave for insane support (probably the most stable shoes on this list) and a really durable midsole.
The heel cushioning is really good particularly while landing – this feature will really benefit people who slightly overpronate while running. This is because the shoes are stiff enough in the midsole to prevent overpronation and therefore the runner will be using their heels more during the race. The shoes look really nice too, particularly the gun metal and red combination.
They might not be the type of shoe you’d wear outside of running, but you will look pretty awesome while wearing them.
The price range is similar to the Asics GEL-Fortitude 7s, and reflects their durability and speciality. A really good set of running shoes that will benefit low to medium overpronators.
Final Thoughts
The standout shoe on this list is the Nike Lunarglide 9, they have decent stability, decent medial support, they are a fair price, they are incredibly comfortable and they look fantastic. But any of the shoes on this list will serve you well.
