If you’ve got low arches, high arches or flat feet, you may need shoes with good arch support. It often turns out that people with foot issues and incorrect walking gait benefit by replacing their general work and casual shoes with a more appropriate, functional one.
So how does that work? When you look at your typical shoe, you should pay attention to the characteristics of it’s design. How are the arch supports for the insole? Are they supportive? Is the shoe built with a stronger midsole? You may be exacerbating a poor foot condition which is perhaps causing you to over-pronate (or supinate)
Many people with heel pain in the mornings and afternoons end up having to deal with plantar fasciitis. Whether or not you’ve had your feet looked at, you may want to formulate a plan to correct your walking gait. That starts with a pair of casual shoes with arch support, as well as the appropriate ankle and midfoot support. The shoes listed below are rated highly online as the best shoes for plantar fasciitis and heel pain in general.
Benefits Of Arch Support Shoes vs. A Normal Shoe
If you’ve gone shopping online for footwear, you know the abundance of shoes available. The loudest marketing budget usually wins, but that doesn’t do you much good.
The solution often recommended by Podiatrists is to change your shoes to include arch supports. Or perhaps they’ve suggested adding the proper insoles to the shoes you already have in order to manage your heel pain. Conservative treatment is usually the first step in treating any sort of issue, especially if you are dealing with plantar fasciitis.
So why do you benefit from changing your work and casual shoes to something more specific? Because helping your arches works to relieve heel pain.
This is what shoes with good arch support will provide…
- Proper Support for your fascia ligament at all times
- Specifically designed midsoles and insoles for better shock absorption
- Often they are podiatrist designed to mix comfort with support
- Provide Motion Control to correct over-pronation or supination, which will encourage a better and more healthy walking motion
Normal walking shoes and work shoes focus on other criteria such as…
- Often constructed for Breathability and Comfort, not necessarily for total foot support
- Not designed to correct an improper walking gait
In many cases, both types of shoes will offer good support. However, shoes with good arch support are noticeably more supportive where you need it most. Cushioning, flexibility and styling options may come secondary if you are trying to find a solution to heel pain. Of course, that’s not to say they don’t have those features also.
Common Complaints About Shoes With Arch Support
1. Might be more expensive versus a budget shoe that looks nice.
2. Arch support shoes take time to get used to for some people, depending on the amount of arch and the flexibility and bounce of the insole/midsole.
3. Company sizing may sometimes be hard to gauge for those with wide or narrow feet.
Group Studies and Statistics
Much like the positive research studies on the benefits of an orthotic and stretching regimen, a proper shoe fitted with orthotic technology can reap the same success. There are multiple studies showing the efficacy of arch supports in relieving pain for those with plantar fasciitis.
In one study, it was concluded that foot orthotics and night splints together provided a better quality of life with significant pain relief. In as little as 12 weeks there was better foot function, while still improving over the course of the 52 weeks.
Foot orthoses and anterior night splints were effective both short-term and long-term in treating pain from plantar fasciitis.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The shoes below all have high ratings by online users for eliminating heel pain. As you can see in the video reviews below, they have inserts with arch support, more so than you’d get from your typical casual shoe.
How We Rate The Shoes
BEST SHOES FOR PLANTAR FASCIITIS – MEN
(Click Image to Enlarge – Link for Amazon Reviews)
1. Brooks Ghost 11
The Brooks Ghost 11 is actually a running shoe, but it’s one of the best shoes for plantar fasciitis and versatile enough that we had to include it for you to review for yourself. Brooks is obviously one of the best shoes with arch support, and this one not only looks good but it is also functional for your needs – especially if you spend a lot of time walking. This lightweight, neutral shoe comes with a breathable mesh upper and has their Crash Pad outsole for maximum shock absorption. Brooks recommends this shoe for those with medium-to-high arches
- Super comfortable for most
- Wide sizing options available
- Lots of arch support
- Great running and walking shoe
- Lighter than other shoes on list – Nice heel cushioning
- A couple people receiving incomplete order or possibly previously returned
- More of an athletic shoe than a typical work shoe
2. Brooks Addiction Walker
Another highly rated shoe with good arch support is the Brooks Addiction Walker. It’s made in MENS and WOMENS versions, and gets plenty of good reviews from the plantar fasciitis group. It’s designed as a motion control shoe to help those with flat feet, but doesn’t feel all that different from any other walking shoe. Of course, this one will have more stability. It’s leather constructed with strong support and slip-resistant sole, which makes this one of the best sneakers for plantar fasciitis and related heel pain. Brooks recommends this shoe for those with flat-to-medium arches.
- Comfortable walking shoe
- Lots of positive heel pain reviews, their go-to shoe
- Available in wide fit
- Moderate arch support
- Cleans very easily
- Might run a bit small
- Some do not like the stiffness
- Can be costly
- A few shoe quality complaints
- May lack a bit of traction on wet floors
3. Merrell Jungle Moc
The Merrell Jungle Moc slip on shoe is one of the most highly rated shoes on the list. They’re versatile and can be work at work, for walking and have a rugged outsole that is great for trekking around town. This shoe is designed with pig suede upper, a contoured footbed with moderate arch support, organic odor control and air cushion support in the heel.
- Good floor traction
- Plenty of design options
- Above average comfort and fit
- Easy slip on
- Many say it’s a good fit out of box
- Can be worn at work or around town
- Lots of plantar fasciitis support
- Few complaints of being slippery on wet surfaces
- Some squeaking complaints
- A couple mentions that the color they chose is slightly off from picture (watch our video for accurate color)
4. Vionic Walker Classic
The Vionic Walker Classic is consistently rated as one of the best shoes for heel pain. Not only are the reviews overwhelmingly positive as far as seeing a reduction in pain and overall purchase satisfaction, the Walker Classic is among those as having the APMA Seal of Approval. They come with the patented Orthaheel contoured arch support and a deep heel cup specifically designed to correct your stride.
- The go-to brand for plantar fasciitis sufferers (repeat buyers)
- Excellent arch support
- Feels comfortable and offer nice total foot support
- May lack footbed cushioning you want
- Might have to buy a size up
- Some complaints of premature wearing
5. New Balance 990v4
The New Balance 990v4 is a popular addition to their classic 900-series shoe. This particular shoe line has been known to offer a balance of cushioning, stability and motion control. And while there is a newer version available, this particular shoe comes with more favorable reviews. It’s manufactured with dual-density collar foam for comfort, their ENCAP midsole technology for stability and a pigskin mesh upper that gives it that classic New Balance look. This particular shoe is also made in the USA.
- Mostly comfortable fit out of the box
- Solid arch support
- Nice balance between support and cushioning
- Good for running as well as everyday walking and casual wear
- Good quality
- High price point
- May not have the full arch support you require
- Sizing might run a bit small
2022 Best Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
*Note: Less Arch Support Reviews or New Models with Less Total Reviews
BEST SHOES FOR PLANTAR FASCIITIS – WOMEN
(Click Image to Enlarge – Link for Amazon Reviews)
1. Vionic Walker Classic
The Vionic Women’s Walker shoe is engineered with the patented Orthaheel arch support and deep heel cup, which has been specifically designed to correct your walking gait. And, since the founders of Vionic are Podiatrists, you can have faith in knowing the shoe was constructed for your condition. What’s more, this shoe has been given the APMA Seal of Approval. With the most arch support available and fantastic reviews, we’ve rated it as the best shoe for plantar fasciitis.
- Excellent arch and overall foot support
- Good shoe for nurses and those on their feet all day
- Lots of previous plantar fasciitis customers for this shoe
- Toe box may be a bit tight for some
- Arch support is a little rigid
- A bit heavier than other shoes
2. Vionic Kea Trainer
What more can we say about Vionic? They’re on just about every list when talking about what works best for plantar fasciitis, because the arch support is fantastic. The Kea Trainer is another comfortable women’s casual shoe. It is made with a lightweight mesh upper, removable EVA orthotic and durable rubber outsole. These Vionics look playful and come in several color options to choose from.
- Very comfortable fit
- Run pretty true to size
- No hassle, easy to slip on
- Great for walking and working all day
- Can go well with slacks
- Few complaints heel slippage in this style
- May have to order up for wide feet
- Some complaints of a chemical smell out of the box
3. Brooks Addiction Walker
The Brooks Addiction Walker is another highly rated women’s walking shoe. It offers a leather upper and a slip-resistant outsole, but more importantly, it provides strong support for low arches to correct over-pronation issues. The diagonal rollbar positions the arch support to promote a natural walking motion. Brooks is always in the conversation when talking about shoes with good arch support.
- Leather – Easy to clean
- May be a good shoe for overweight women
- Excellent overall foot support with nice stability
- Plenty of arch support
- Great if you need an all black or all white shoe
- Might have a break in period
- Seems a bit clunky for some
- Not the most stylish shoe
4. Saucony Grid Omni Walker
The Saucony Grid Omni is a nice choice for the moderate-to-severe pronator. It’s a sporty and plush leather walking shoe that keeps you comfortably upright for long periods of time, as well as providing stability from impact with its Rearfoot Grid System. This shoe isn’t waterproof, doesn’t win any awards for styling, but it gets the job done and is rated highly for plantar fasciitis relief.
- Great arch support
- Plenty of stability
- Comfortable fit
- Have plain black and white sneaker options
- Seems to be a fairly accurate sizing fit
- Wide option available
- Can be a bit stiff out of the box
- Some feel they are a bit large and bulky
- A few previous squeaking complaints
5. Ryka Devotion Plus 2
It turns out that the Ryka Devotion Plus 2 walking shoe isn’t just stylish and fun, but it also has great support for your feet. They are designed with an anatomically precise footbed, a lightweight EVA midsole and rubber pod network to add cushioning to the outsole. The Rykas are comfortable, affordable and seem to work pretty well at minimizing heel pain at work or when walking around.
- Fit pretty true to size as per most
- Lightweight
- Nice cushioning in the footbed
- Good price point
- Great for walking and working on your feet
- Multiple mentions of enough space in the toe box
- Shoe designs are unfavorable to some
- Few complaints about shoe quality and breaking prematurely in different areas
- Padding in the tongue is not great
2022 Best Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
*Note: Less Arch Support Reviews or New Models with Less Total Reviews
Conclusion
So those are your best shoes with arch support as per people who have commented online about their experiences with them. Not all shoes get as much favorable reviews in that respect.
And while these are not always the newest model, they are noted by thousands of reviews online to have worked for their foot problems. It should be noted that newly updated models of the same shoes have either less reviews (being new) and/or have updated their shoe and lost the favorability to solve foot problems by their user base.
Lastly, it should be worth noting that you should have an ongoing pan to support your feet consistently. That means not just at work, but around the house, the yard and around town. You may also consider a supportive house slipper or flip flops with arch support for daily use. Going barefoot is generally seen as a no-no for those with plantar fasciitis, so treat your feet right at all times.
