There are four main effects of having a foot turned outward when you run… but that doesn’t always mean you must fix it.
Over the years I’ve had many clients with one or both feet pointing out. In most cases we’ve been able to improve that, but in some it’s simply structural–the way the bones are shaped–and trying to make the foot point forwards would just introduce new stresses that could lead to injury.
It’s often surprised me, though, how many people are concerned with this issue even though it’s quite common for runners of every level–even up to podium finishers at the world’s top marathons. If a turned out foot is a structural issue for you, you can still perform at a very high level.
I show you how all of this works–including the relationship between a turned out foot and overpronation–in this video:
Here are the free lessons I recommend in the video:
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Jae Gruenke, GCFP, is a running technique expert and Feldenkrais Practitioner. Known as a “running form guru,” she is the Founder and CEO of The Balanced Runner™ in New York City and The Balanced Runner UK. She has helped runners from beginner to Olympian improve their form to become pain-free, economical, and fast.