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I've come to the conclusion that an excessive overpronation partly is a problem related to the weakness of the foot muscles and in particular:

  • Intrinsic foot muscles (abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis etc.)
  • Weak posterior tibialis
  • Weak anterior tibialis
  • Weak peroneus longus
  • Weak extrinsic foot muscles (flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus)

Now I need some guidance with exercises that strengthens these muscles. So far my plan is to:

  • Transition to minimalist shoes for everyday wear(already made but haven't run in them yet)
  • Various balance plate exercises

Balancing, throw a ball to a wall, squats, etc.

Is this enough to tackle all of the muscles mentioned above or do I need additional exercises/techniques?

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  • Can you elaborate on the plate exercises and short foot exercises you're planning to do? – meanderingmoose Jul 25 '14 at 12:13
  • Of course! I'll edit my post. – EricAm Jul 25 '14 at 18:01
  • In addition to the foot muscles, have you already concluded that your lower extremity ranges and strength are normal? Often an over-pronation of the foot may be a result of reduced mobility or weakness somewhere else up the chain. The excessive pronation can be a compensation, not the actual problem. – BackInShapeBuddy Jul 25 '14 at 19:23
  • They are not normal. I do have tight muscles and they need to be stretched. But since I don't know the to what degree every joint contribute I attacked all of them throughout the kinetic chain. This includes anterior pelvic tilt, internal rotation of the hip/tibia, adduction of the hip and pronation of the ankle and foot. – EricAm Jul 26 '14 at 0:00
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+100

Although weakness or limited mobility anywhere in the kinetic chain may lead to excessive pronation as a compensation, limited ankle dorsi-flexion is often a prime culprit.

To test your dorsi-flexion range you can see if you can fully squat without lifting your heels or losing your balance. Or another quick lunge test uses a ruler and the wall. If you find limitation in ankle dorsi-flexion, here are some good exercises to stretch your muscles and mobilize the joint.

Your short foot exercise video you linked to is good, as is towel pleating which will help you target toe flexors. (Sorry for the long winded video.)

To specifically target your requested muscles you can use resistance bands:

  • The anterior tibialis dorsi-flexes and inverts (pulls the foot up and in). This video shows how to isolate it with rubber tubing or resistance band or with standing at the wall for support.

  • The posterior tibialis also inverts the foot (turns it in) but it plantar flexes rather than dorsi-flexion, so you would use the band to resist pointing the foot down and in.

  • The peroneus longus and brevis evert (turn the foot out) and the longus helps to plantar flex (point the foot down). Rubber tubing or theraband linked around the feet while you point and push your feet out against the resistance of the band will strengthen these muscles.

This quick video shows dorsi-flexion, plantar-flexion, eversion and inversion with a resistance band.

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