To permanently correct fallen arches and excessive pronation, you must release and realign the big toe using toe spacers and wide-toe-box shoes, thereby allowing the foot to strengthen in its natural position rather than depending on orthopedic insoles.

noli's read

The idea of actively strengthening the foot is scientifically sound: a longitudinal study conducted by Ridge et al. (2019) demonstrated that transitioning to minimalist, wide-toe-box footwear increases the strength of intrinsic foot muscles in a manner similar to a targeted exercise program. Furthermore, observational biomechanical analyses confirm that big toe alignment is crucial for activating the windlass mechanism, which naturally supports the arch. However, promising to fix hyperpronation 'for good' using this method alone is an overstatement. Pronation is a complex movement influenced by bone structure, genetics, and hip or ankle mobility, not just by the toes. Finally, although toe spacers are popular in clinical practice, high-level clinical evidence (such as randomized controlled trials) is still lacking to demonstrate their direct and permanent effectiveness in correcting foot posture.

the sources

1. 1Ridge ST, Olsen MT, Bruening DA, et al. 2018