Best Sneakers for Women with High Insteps – Prevent Pain on the Top of Your Feet!

Have you been experiencing foot pain in the top of your foot or do you simply feel that most sneakers rub against the top part of your feet? Are you frustrated about buying your shoes online in multiple sizes and having to end up returning them all? Finding shoes for women with high insteps can be extremely challenging, as most shoes online are not labeled as “extra deep”. I know which are the best sneakers for women with high insteps as I have been fitting women’s shoes for over a decade.

What is a High Instep? – My Experience Fitting Women with High Insteps!

I get contacted by women with “complicated” foot shapes on a daily basis. Some women have wide feet and high insteps, while some others have narrow feet and high insteps. I want to tell you that no matter how complicated your foot shape is, I will be able to help you find the perfect pair of shoes for your feet.

Let’s take a look at a couple of images of women with high insteps:

Having a high instep means that there will be more pressure on the ball of your foot and the outside edge of your heel. While deeper shoes will take some of the pressure away from the ball of the foot and have your heel sitting deeper and comfortably inside the shoe, sometimes you will notice how you will need a wider shoe as well.

Some of the causes of having a high instep are:

• Normal variant (i.e. some people just have higher insteps)
• Hereditary (i.e. runs in your family)
• Nerve trauma

What Makes the Sneakers I Recommend Effective for Women with High Insteps?

After having fitted and tested several different shoe brands and styles, I have noticed that to effectively accommodate a high instep the shoes must provide these 2 features:

1️⃣ Extra Depth: This feature allows your feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevents the top part of your feet from rubbing against the top part of the shoes. Take a look at the image below, do you notice how the New Balance shoe on the right is a lot deeper compared to the shoe on the left? I will provide you with a link to this specific shoe shortly.

2️⃣ Wider Openings: Shoes with wider openings will allow you to easily slide your feet inside the shoes. This is an awesome feature as several women complain that they have a very hard time getting their shoes on and off.

Let’s now take a look at a list of the best sneakers for women with high insteps. Please keep in mind that simply because I recommend a shoe from a specific shoe brand that doesn’t mean that all shoes from that brand will work well for your high instep. There are specific models among each shoe brand that work a lot better than others.

Best Sneakers for Women with High Insteps

Take a look at the description below each running shoe to find out what additional features the shoe provides, the materials the shoes are made of, and the size you should order to prevent your longest toe from rubbing against the front part of the shoes. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases. This allows us to create free content and resources for many families around the world. 

It’s important that you check the description below each shoe to also find out if it can accommodate your foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide).

Will these Shoes Accommodate Your High Instep?

Keep in mind that everyone’s feet are different, and what might work well for some women with high insteps might not work as well for others. Not all women’s insteps are the same, as some are a lot higher than others.

Are You Unsure About What Shoe Size You Should Order Online?

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 medium width shoes now you might have to start ordering wider shoes.

I strongly suggest that you visit your local shoe store to retrieve your exact foot length and shape. However, if you don’t have a specialized shoe store in your area you can use this free resource that I created:

How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!

Are You Looking for a Different Type of Shoe to Accommodate Your Instep?

Some women already found a good pair of sneakers that worked well for their instep, but they have trouble finding dress shoes or seasonal shoes. I created different resources that you might find helpful:

The Best Winter Boots for Women with High Instep – Extra Deep, Waterproof, and Insulated!

Stylish Shoes for Women with High Instep – Extra Deep and Comfortable for Your Tall Feet!

The Best Women Sandals for High Instep — Supportive, Lightweight, Flexible, and Deep!

Thank you for reading! We hope you found helpful this post on the best sneakers for women with high insteps. Please feel free to share this post with your community on social media as well as your experiences in the comments section below. If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact us via e-mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.