Best Shoes for Flat Feet
You may have heard people complaining about not getting the right footwear, or you, from your own experience may know that the ordinary shoes does not work for flat feet! But do you know what a flat foot is? Medically, it is defined as the type of foot where, the arch of the foot which is formed by the tarsal and metatarsal bones, is found to be sitting on the ground completely. The arch of the foot, often acts as a natural shock absorber, and is the part of the foot which is strengthened by ligaments and tendons and helps support the body weight. It also acts as a cushion for the impact on the feet, ankles, knees and hips during activities like standing, walking, running or any movement of your feet. Because of flat feet, these activities can be a little restricted due to the arch touching the ground, and hence, good footwear is the only answer to correct this problem. Thus, if you want to find out which can be the best shoes for flat feet, read through the following paragraphs.
Best Flat Feet Shoes for Men and Women
There are many activities which we usually do with the help of our feet like jumping, running, walking, cycling, climbing, etc. All these movements need flexibility, a particular grip and support to be performed. These requirements are well provided for in people who have properly arched feet, but, in case of flat feet, it is a sad story. Therefore, using good shoes can be very helpful to carry out these activities, when you have flat feet. There are mainly two categories in which these shoes are classified; walking and running shoes. Mentioned below are a few types of shoes especially for flat feet, take a look!
Motion Control Shoes
The motion control shoes are usually the most inflexible and rigid types of shoes designed for flat feet. They have heavy soles which are hard and tough, but are very durable in almost all weather conditions and grounds. These shoes are basically meant for heavier people who have flat feet, since they need more support while walking. These shoes are not running shoes since they are very heavy to handle, and can prove to be uncomfortable at times. Thus, motion control shoes are not very popularly used for flat feet.
- Brooks Trance 8
- Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS 2
- New Balance 844 Men's Walking Shoes
- Asics Gel-Evolution II
- Brooks Addiction Walker (women)
- Brooks Addiction 8 (men)
- Asics Gel Foundation 8
Since the arch in case of flat feet is not properly curved, there is no natural support to the feet. For this purpose, there is a need for support shoes, which have a strong heel or grip to hold ground. Even though your foot doesn't have an arch, your shoe can surely have one, and this is the specialty of these support shoes. Designed with a strong arch and a hard sole, these shoes prove to be some of the best running shoes for people with flat feet. With many brands for women and men's flat feet running shoes other than the popular ones like Reebok, Nike, Adidas and Puma, brands like Mizuno Wave Alchemy, Brooks Addiction, and Saucony Grid Hurricane, also have a variety to choose from.
- Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11
- Nike Lunarglide+ 3
- New Balance 1226
- Asics Kayano 17
- Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 15
- Mizuno Wave Inspire 8
- Asics Evolution 6
If you are looking for some good walking shoes since you have flat feet, stability shoes are a great choice to make. Unlike the motion control shoes, these are more flexible in nature and have a semi-curved, dual density midsole for support. These shoes are meant for individuals with normal weight and height, who prefer to walk comfortably and slowly. Stability shoes also have thick heels and soles but, are much easier to walk in, and come in a variety of designs for both men and women. These are sometimes considered to be one of the best walking shoes for those who have flat feet, but are not preferred by people who like lighter footwear.
- Brooks Beast 9
- Nike Zoom Nucleus MC+
- Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS 2
- Brooks Ariel (women)
- Asics Gel-Evolution 6
- Brooks Addiction 10
- Nike Zoom Equalon+ 3
- New Balance Women's WR860 Stability Running Shoe
Cushioned shoes are those which are made for people with high arches are required by runners and sportsmen. These shoes have the softest midsoles and are very flexible with the least amount of support. Their arches are also semi curved with either thick or semi thick heels. Cushioned shoes are not needed by walkers as much as they are used by runners. Therefore, basketball players even though these are not specifically designed for them, can use these shoes as the best basketball shoes for flat feet. The only problem with these shoes is that they can have a slightly higher heel than required by runners.
- New Balance WR1000
- Nike Free Run+ 2
- Inov-8 F-Lite 230
- ASICS GEL-Nimbus 13
- Saucony Grid Cohesion 4
- Mizuno Wave Creation 12
- New Balance MT573
