Are you working a 9 to 5 where you hardly ever have a chance to sit down and rest your feet?
Do you have a history of foot trouble and want to get ahead of it?
Are you currently nursing an injury and need supportive shoes to help get you through it?
Arch support in shoes is important for your foot health, so we’ve got a list of some of the best shoes for arch support to get you through those long days on your feet.
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How We Chose Our Ratings
For our ratings on the best shoes for arch support we considered several factors – comfort and of course, arch support, being the top two.
Other important aspects included aesthetics, breathability, traction, durability, and price.
Top 9 Best Shoes for Arch Support
If you’re going to wear shoes anyway, you might as well wear a pair that’ll help support you, your arches, and your goals.
Here are some great picks of shoes with arch support for you to try on and walk around in:
Vionic Men’s, Walker Sneaker Gray 10 W
[amazon box=”B0188YBDXW”]
There are several color selections each, but all are fairly minimal and neutral tones.
These shoes feature full-grain water-resistant leather, a solid construction and feel along with great foot stability. The sneakers have traditional lacing for comfort and an easily customizable fit. The shoe also offers other comforts like a breathable moisture-wicking lining, a PU (polyurethane) foam base to reduce friction when rubbing against the skin, a contoured orthotic footbed, a deep heel cup, and a medium-density EVA midsole to absorb shock and reduce stress on your feet, ankles, and knees.
These shoes are particularly good for people suffering from plantar fasciitis, even when they have to be on their feet for long periods of time. They’re also a great choice for folks with flat feet or heel spurs.
Vionic Women’s Action Kona Lace-up Walking Fitness Shoes
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The Vionic Kona Women’s Fitness Shoes come in 4 different color combinations (white and blue, black and fuchsia, gray and lime, navy and coral).
These shoes kill in the comfort department with cushioning in the shoe’s insole, tongue, and collar. The comfort cushioning in the insoles and for the ball of the foot is also what provides the arch support in these shoes.
The upper is made of a supported synthetic mesh that lets your toes breathe and stay comfy, dry, and cool throughout the day. The soles are rubber and provide good traction.
ASICS Men’s Gel-Contend SL Walking Shoes
[amazon box=”B08PK9CDDY”]
ASICS Men’s Gel-Contend SL Walking Shoes have great features that make them ideal for natural running. The AmpliFoam midsole provides excellent flexibility, comfort, and platform adaptability due to its softer density which also helps with durability.
Additionally, the Rearfoot GEL technology cushioning system helps to attenuate shock during impact and allows for a smooth transition to midstance. I am very pleased with these shoes and highly recommend them to anyone looking for an athletic walking shoe that offers great support and cushioning.
Brooks Men’s Addiction Walker, Black, 9.5 EEEE
[amazon box=”B0012ILBJ8″]
The Brooks Addiction Walkers in both Men’s and Women’s models also offer good arch support. They’ll run you in three different colors each: black, brown suede, and white for men, and black, white, and bone for women.
They’re not much to look at, but they won’t let you folks with low arches down – they’ve got loads of support and are particularly well-designed for those with overpronated feet. They’ll reduce your risk of injury and guard against shin splints and knee pain.
The Brooks Addiction Walkers have strong ankle support, are well-cushioned, have plenty of toe room and a sturdy construction. They have leather uppers and slip-resistant outsoles.
Dansko Women’s Helen Fashion Sneaker, Black/White Suede
[amazon box=”B00RDJB564″]
The suede and mesh upper is treated with 3M Scotchguarding for stain resistance, and an anti-microbial mix for odor control. Not only do they look nice, but they have great arch support and a stabilizing shank in the sole. The footbed is made of durable and cushioned polyurethane plus conforming memory foam for extra comfort. However, if you want to use your own orthotic, you can take that footbed out and replace it if needed.
konhill Women’s Lightweight Casual Walking Athletic Shoes
[amazon box=”B075V2X2J1″]
The Konhill Casual Walking Shoes are a great investment for light workouts at the gym, jogging, walking, and casual occasions. They don’t do well with heavy athletic activity.
These shoes come in 29 different colors, have an attractive design, and would go well with just about anything. Some say they feel a bit like a comfy sock.
The upper is a breathable and lightweight knit which is flexible and soft for comfort. The soles aren’t as thick as on other shoe models, but they’ll still give you arch support and a nice cushion between your feet and the ground to absorb shock. The sole is flexible and springy to allow for natural movement. The shoes offer support without being overly restrictive.
New Balance Men’s Mens 928v3 Walking Shoe Walking Shoe
[amazon box=”B01MXNYPSU”]
Known for offering maximum stability and motion control via patented Rollbar technology, the MW928v3 is a great shoe option for moderate to severe overpronators. The Rollbar system reduces rearfoot movement from the rear midsole and prevents the foot from rolling inward to correct overpronation.
For comfort, these shoes get their arch support from a compression molded EVA midsole, lightweight style, and Walking Strike Path Technology, which helps stabilize the foot by working with the full ground contact sole for a comfortable all-day wearing experience.
Reviewers say these shoes have a sturdy fit and work well for standing jobs.
Mizuno Men’s Wave Inspire 14 Running Shoe, Silver
[amazon box=”B0713WPXGN”]
The Mizuno Wave Inspire 14s have great arch support for both their Men’s and Women’s styles. They come in several cool color combinations and designs.
Best for folks with mild to moderate overpronation, the Mizuno Wave Inspire 14s feature a Double Fan Wave to provide high stability without increasing stiffness to reduce pronation. It’s a flexible plastic wave structure that runs from heel to midfoot for a cushioned and springy step.
To add to that, the articulated U4icX heel wedge is lightweight and heavily cushioned so each of your footfalls will feel soft and downy (imagine strapping arch-supporting pillows to your feet).
Saucony Mens Grid Omni Walker Sneaker, White
[amazon box=”B000I4QLN8″]
They’re not very attractive looking, but they’re certainly comfortable with their cushioning EVA midsoles.
The Saucony Grid Omnis boast a Walk Trac patented outsole to allow smooth transitions on all terrain by creating a solid structure for the underfoot in motion. It slows pronation to improve shock absorption. They won’t be comfortable for neutral walkers.
Buyer’s Guide for the Best Shoes for Arch Support
So how do you figure out which of these options will work as your best shoes for arch support?
Well first, let’s consider why arch support is so important in the first place. The arches in our feet function to support our weight while we’re standing and they work with our other bones, ligaments, and tendons to give us a kind of springy bounce when we’re walking or running to propel us forward. Our arches absorb shock by compressing when our feet hit the ground so the arches’ tendons and ligaments store elastic energy until the arches recoil and release that energy to push us forward.
It’s fairly important to know what kind of feet and arches you have when choosing a shoe so you know where you need support. You can figure this out with either a static or dynamic test. What you’re looking for is the amount of pronation – the natural inward movement when our feet hit the ground.
The static way to test what parts of your foot need support is to wet your foot and step on concrete or a piece of paper. Your footprint will tell you if you’re an overpronator (wide footprint, not a lot of narrowing to the middle of the sole), neutral (hourglass-shaped, wider near the toes and heel, narrower near the middle of the sole), or an underpronator (a kind of uneven shadow with a thin and narrow middle, wide toe, and fairly narrow heel). Pronation usually corresponds to the types of arches you have – flat or fallen, normal, or high arches.
To check pronation dynamically, you’d have to have someone watch you walk barefoot and actually check for the amount of pronation, tibia rotation, and heel rotation. This kind of test will tell you for sure.
There’s some debate over whether or not getting arch support from shoes is actually effective or necessary, but having strong standalone arches (without shoes) in general is definitely a good thing.
Arch support is most important for people who are dealing with a recent or chronic injury as part of treatment and recovery. Neutral cushioned shoes reduce pain in flat-footed folks with plantar pressure. Orthotics reduce abnormal ankle internal rotation and eversion. Shock absorbing insoles help to relieve the pressure on shins. Folks with high arches can get custom orthotics for pain relief and improved function.
Lastly, consider aesthetics. If you’re going to be in these shoes for extended periods of time, you should at least like the way they look. If you don’t care what the shoes look like, then you don’t have to worry about that – put all your focus on the material, durability, and fit of the shoe instead.
And of course, if you’re on a budget, that will play a role in the shoes you ultimately want to buy too.
