Have you been diagnosed with supination and your medical professional recommends that you wear a pair of supportive shoes but didn’t specify which models to get? Do you have a “complicated” foot shape such as narrow feet that is making it harder to find supportive shoes that fit comfortably? I know which are the best shoes for women with narrow feet and supination as I have worked for a family shoe store for many years.
The main problem with supination is that all the weight and stress of your gait is placed on your heels and the outside edge of your feet as you walk or run. This leads to an abnormal walking gait that creates stress points that will affect your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and even your lower back!
Take a look at the image below to visualize how the feet of a woman with supination look like:
When your feet roll out excessively (as shown in the image above), the feet will appear with an extreme high arch contour. Below you can find an image of a woman with a high arch:
My Experience Fitting Shoes for Women with Supination – A Decade of Experience!
I am not a medical professional, but I have helped hundreds of women with supination find the correct types of shoes to significantly reduce, and in some cases, fully eliminate their foot and leg pain. In some cases, you might need to fit an orthotic inside the shoes for extra support, but it all starts with wearing a pair of supportive shoes.
Do Shoe Companies Manufacture Shoes for Women with Supination?
Unfortunately, most shoe companies don’t manufacture walking or running shoes specifically made for women with high arches.
I have read studies that report that approximately only 10 to 20% of the population have high arches. I believe that is one of the main reasons why there are almost no shoes or orthotics geared towards women with this problem.
Main Problems for Women with Supination – Can You Relate?
I have noticed that most women who come to the shoe store and have supination deal with the following conditions:
➡️ Plantar Fasciitis
➡️ Back and hip pain
➡️ Ankle sprain and foot instability
➡️ Foot rigidity
➡️ Hammer toes and claw toes
➡️ Calluses
The Challenges of Finding Shoes for Women with Narrow Feet and Supination
The biggest challenge is to find a pair of shoes that can properly support your feet and at the same time fit the shape of your narrow feet. This means that the selection of shoes that you get to choose from gets significantly smaller.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Ideal for Women with Narrow Feet/Supination?
The type of shoes that you must buy are the ones that have supportive outsoles with a high arch since it will help distribute the pressure on your feet more evenly. The shoes should also provide firm heel counters to help prevent your feet from rolling outwards and straight lasts to keep your feet aligned and improve your walking gait. Take a look at the images below for better visualization purposes:
1️⃣ Substantial Outsoles
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counters
3️⃣ Straight Lasts
Remember that in addition to providing those 3 important features, the shoes must fit the shape of your narrow feet correctly. But, don’t worry, the shoes I will show you shortly are also capable of accommodating a narrow foot. Take a look at the image below for clarification:
Let’s now take a look at the best shoes for women with narrow feet and supination. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Women with Narrow Feet and Supination
Take a look at the description below each sneaker to find out the additional features that the shoe provides such as the materials the shoes are made of, the foot shapes the shoe can accommodate, and the size you should order to prevent your longest toe from rubbing against the front part of the shoe.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow 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
- Available in narrow widths
- The Levitate StealthFit 5 offers a perfect blend of neutral support, cushioning, and max energy return to keep you comfortable
- The arrow-point pattern in the outsole allows the foot to move quickly from heel to toe
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow widths
- High energizing cushioning
- Firm heel counter and supportive outsole
- 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
- 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
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Soft, lightweight Jacquard mesh upper delivers excellent airflow, keeping your feet cool and fresh throughout your run.
- Laminate mid-foot cage provides structural support
- Padded tongue and collar
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits narrow feet
- Rearfoot PureGEL™ technology for lightweight cushioning
- FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO cushioning midsole
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
I have helped hundreds of women with different types of foot conditions and shapes such as long, slender toes, high arches, high insteps, a wide base, and a narrow short heel… you name it! Some other women who visit the shoe store had short toes, flat feet, and quad heels! With that said, your feet are uniquely shaped and there is no one-size-fits-all. So, it’s important to keep in mind that what might have worked well for some women with high arches, might not work as well for others!
Unsure About What Shoe Size You Should Order?
Take a look at the description below each shoe to find out what shoe size you should order to prevent your longest toe from rubbing against the front part of the shoes.
Find Out How to Order the Correct Shoe Size Online
There is nothing more uncomfortable than wearing the wrong size shoe! Be aware that your foot shape and size can change overtime. This can happen because of pregnancy, aging, and weight gain or loss. The ligaments and tendons also lose strength due to aging and make our arches decrease which can flatten and lengthen the foot and toes. Because of this, I recommend you get your feet measured every 6 months. Quality measurements start with expert consultation, so let me help you retrieve your exact foot length:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Try This Amazing Shoe Lacing Technique!
My co-worker who has over 20 years of shoe fitting experience taught me a specific shoe lacing technique that works really well for women who have narrow feet or for women who wear orthotics. If you want to learn about this shoe lacing technique I suggest that you read the article below:
Is It Better to Have High Arches or to Have Flat Feet?
Some women who come to the shoe store ask me whether it’s better to have flat feet or high arches. I tell them that whether having high arches is better or worse than having flat feet is irrelevant, because they both present their own unique set of challenges.
Are You Unsure Whether You Are a Supinator or Not?
Grab a pair of your everyday shoes, it can be an old pair or a pair that you have been wearing for more than a month. Take a close look at the wear pattern on the outsoles of your shoes.
If you notice excessive wear on the outer edge of the sole, you may be a supinator. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
It’s always advisable to visit your local shoe store to get a proper shoe fitting so you can try some different models to make sure you end up with a suitable shoe for your foot strike and foot shape. However, the advantage of ordering online is that there are usually more sizes available than in regular stores.
Just so you know, a certain degree of supination is considered natural for most people, but in cases when the feet are over supinated, it can place extra stress on the foot and leg and can cause issues such as ankle instability and problems elsewhere.
Do You Believe that You Can Benefit from Wearing an Orthotic?
Women with high arches have difficulty finding orthotics that work well for their feet because most over-the-counter orthotics are not designed to support the shape of their high arches. They are mostly made to support the shape of low arches.
After testing many different insoles and orthotics, I have found one that is suitable for women with high arches. This specific orthotic is designed specifically for the biomechanical structure of the “supinated” high arched foot:
Article Coming Soon
I hope I made things easier for you by showing you a list of the best shoes for women who supinate and have narrow feet.
If you have high arches and are dealing with supination, tell me about your experience. What problems have you noticed over time? What specific shoes have you found that work well and which ones didn’t work?
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