In a normal stride, your foot should roll inward a bit (pronate) so that your weight is on the ball of your foot. Then you push off the big toe. If you supinate, most of your weight falls on the outside of your foot and you push off from your outer toes instead.

Incorrect footwear. Good shoes support the arch and soft tissues of the foot, which help protect the foot from injury. This is especially true when walking on hard and flat surfaces. The wrong type of shoe — such as rigid or tight shoes — can lead to supination and other foot problems.

The way your foot interacts with the ground depends on the type of arch structure you have. People with low arches are more susceptible to excessive pronation, whereas those with high arches will more frequently experience excessive supination.

If your foot appears flat, you’re more likely to overpronate. If you can see a higher arch, then you may be underpronating. You can also look and see how your shoes tilt. If they tilt inward then that’s overpronating, outward means under.

The best shoes for flat feet control pronation and have significant heel support. Additionally, shoes for flat feet usually have soles with wedges to help limit over pronation. Shoes for flat feet should have a stiff sole underneath the arch of the foot and flex only at the forefoot.

For those who have flat feet, running barefoot may help strengthen muscles in your arch and ankles. Those who do a lot of physical activity or run often may experience their flat feet lacking pronation when the arch compresses to help with shock absorption as force exerts on the feet.

Those who have flat feet are more likely to develop muscular imbalances in their ankles, legs, and hips. This situation can lead to balance becoming an issue, and may even result in lower back pain.