Are you trying to find a pair of good supportive workout shoes to support your flat feet? Do you usually experience foot or leg pain while working out? It’s hard for women with flat feet to stay active if they constantly experience foot or leg pain. I have been fitting women’s shoes for the last 10 years and based on my shoe fitting experience I am going to show you a list of the best workout shoes for women with flat feet.
Women with flat feet usually experience the following conditions when working out:
- Shin splints
- Achilles tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
Did you know that having flat feet might be the reason for your foot, leg, ankle, and hip pain? Flat feet can also cause instability of the foot bones, which then puts more stress on ligaments, tendons, and muscles. For example, several women with flat feet experience plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain.
Can I Workout with Flat Feet?
Yes, having flat feet shouldn’t limit your daily and workout activities. Wearing supportive shoes is a great way to exercise without feeling any pain or discomfort. Shoes that provide good arch support and shock absorption help minimize the impact that your feet take every time they come in contact with the ground.
My Experience Helping Women with Flat Feet
Several women who walk to the shoe store complain that they are not able to workout because of their flat feet. It’s important to understand that having flat feet doesn’t mean that you can’t be active. If you are experiencing severe foot pain, there are shoes and orthotics that you can wear to significantly reduce, or fully eliminate the pain.
What are the Best Shoe Brands for Women with Flat Feet?
I don’t like to recommend specific shoe brands because there are shoe styles among each brand that are a lot more supportive than others. With that said, the shoes that I recommend are usually made by Asics, New Balance, Saucony, and Brooks.
What Makes the Workout Shoes that I Recommend Ideal for Women with Flat Feet?
After having tried several different shoe brands and styles I now have a pretty good idea of what features a shoe must provide to support a flat foot:
☑️ Substantial Outsoles: The workout shoes that I recommend provide supportive and substantial outsoles that will cushion, support, and protect your feet when performing high impact activities. Take a look at the image below to visualize where the outsole of the shoe is located. Do you notice how the shoe on the right has a much thicker and supportive outsole compared to the shoe on the left?
☑️ Firm Heel Counter: This feature provides heel and ankle support, and is ideal for women who experience heel pain due to their flat feet. The firmer the heel counter is, the better support that it provides. Always press on the heel counter of your workout shoes to make sure that it feels firm and sturdy:
☑️ Straight Lasts: Take a look at the image below to better visualize what I mean by straight lasts. This specific feature helps align your foot posture, improving your walking gait and overall posture.
Where Can I Find Shoes that Provide These 3 Features?
You can visit your local shoe store or buy them online. However, if you prefer to shop online you must be 100% sure of your foot length and shape. Don’t insist on buying the same shoe size just because that’s the size that you have worn for most of your life. Your foot shape and size can change over time, and some of the factors that contribute to this change are pregnancy, aging and weight gain or loss. Over time and because of gravity, our feet might get longer and wider.
As we age, the body’s ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. This means that our arches decrease, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes.
This often results in an increase in shoe size by a half-size or more. You might also experience a change in foot width, meaning that even though you always ordered wide width shoes now you might have to start ordering extra wide shoes.
Learn How to Order the Correct Shoe Size Online
Do you know your exact foot length? Do you know whether your feet are narrow, medium, wide or extra wide? Do you know whether you have a high instep or not?
Buying shoes online can be a challenge. If you are unsure of your current foot length and shape, I suggest that you take a look at a free resource I created where I help women determine their exact foot shape from home:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Now that you know what features your workout shoes must provide and how to retrieve your exact foot length and shape, let’s take a look at the best workout shoes for women with flat feet. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Workout Shoes for Women with Flat Feet ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Take a look at the description below each shoe image to check what specific foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide), that specific shoe style can accommodate. Remember that the optimal shoe to help treat your flat feet must provide good support but it also depends on your individual foot shape.
All of the shoes below have a design that prevents overpronation, thanks to medial posts and guides that offer extra support, and they also have a supportive midsole for cushioning and energy efficiency.
- Fits women with narrow, medium, or wide feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Engineered mesh upper improves breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- AmpliFoam midsole is engineered to maintain durability at softer densities, providing better flexibility, comfort, and platform adaptability ideal for natural running
- Engineered mesh upper improves breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- CMEVA (Compression Molded EVA) midsole delivers lightweight, durable, responsive cushioning
- Strategic high-abrasion rubber zones to reduce weight
- Soft, stretchable knit fabric uppers with extra foam padding ease pressure on the foot and provide superior comfort and protection for sensitive feet
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with medium and wide feet and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Accommodates orthotics
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet and also accommodates high insteps
- VERSARUN cushioning absorbs impact and reduces pressure for comfortable strides at every level of walking and running
- Added heel support for a more comfortable, secure hold.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- DNA LOFT offers incredibly soft cushioning that now extends beyond the heel, allowing for an easy transition from landing to toe-off.
- Removable foam insole for excellent underfoot comfort and support.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Seamless upper design helps reduce the likelihood of irritation
- Plush tongue and collar for added comfort
- DUOMAX® Support System is a dual-density midsole positioned to enhance support and stability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Durable full-length EVA midsole to absorb shock and offer stability
- Breathable open engineered textile mesh upper with seamless synthetic overlays
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me via the comment section below or at my email if you are unsure about which shoe style will work best for your flat feet or foot shape:
comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com
Make sure that your workout shoes are properly tied at all times, as that is the only way that you will get the full support and stability that the shoes have to offer.
Let me know in the comment section below if you have any questions or if you have found a specific pair of shoes that worked well for your flat feet.
Be the first to comment