Foot Pain in the Side of the Foot – The Best Women’s Shoes to Reduce or Eliminate the Pain!

Editor’s Note: This post has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects up-to-date information on foot pain in the side of the foot.

Are you experiencing foot pain in the side of  your foot? Moreover, are you having a hard time identifying where the pain is exactly coming from and why is it happening?

When a woman is experiencing foot or leg pain, my first step is to begin by checking the shoes that she is wearing. Shoes play a vital role in keeping your feet heathy, and if they are not fitted properly or provide the correct amount of support, they can be a contributing cause or even the sole cause of your foot pain.

For instance, when women put constant pressure on a particular area of their feet, that area and nerve can become irritated, causing an enormous amount of pain. So, choosing the correct type of shoes along with the correct shoe size, will greatly reduce or fully eliminate the pain!

Most of the time when women complain about foot pain in the side of the foot, the pain has to do with either the shoes being too narrow or too flimsy, this meaning that they are not supportive enough.

If you are a woman experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot, I will provide you with more insight and will also describe which are the best shoes for women with arch and ankle support (that are also available in different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide).

I had the opportunity of helping several women who were experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot, and I found out that the pain was related to two common factors:

☑️ Not wearing supportive shoes: There was also a large number of women that were experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot due to wearing shoes that didn’t provide good support.

☑️ Not wearing the correct shoe size: Several women were experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot due to wearing shoes that were too narrow.

Minimize or Fully Eliminate Your Foot Pain – Follow These 3 Steps!

The following are the steps that you need to follow to minimize or fully eliminate the pain that you are experiencing in the side of your feet:

First Step

Check if the shoes are the correct size. I always recommend women to go to their local shoe store where a shoe fitter can properly measure their feet and find shoes that fit properly. For example, do you know your exact foot length and whether you have narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. In addition, do you know whether you have a high instep or not? I help women determine their exact foot size and shape from home. Take a look at the article below:

How To Measure Your Foot Shoe Size From Home – The Most Simple And Effective Way!

Second Step

Make sure that the shoes that you are wearing are supportive. I have noticed that when women experience foot pain in the side of the foot, it’s mostly due to the shoes not being supportive enough. The shoes that you buy must come with a substantial outsole, to provide arch support and minimize the impact that your feet and legs take when they come in contact with the ground:

The shoes also must provide a firm heel counter (to provide ankle support). Several women who were experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot was because they were flat-footed and needed extra support from their shoes. Commonly, a lot of women don’t know what the heel counter of the shoe is, so here is a picture for clarification:

Third Step

Make sure that you are tying your shoes properly or pulling the velcro straps tightly. If the shoelaces or the velcro closure are too loose, you won’t get the full benefits that the shoes have to offer.

Women’s Foot Pain – How Can This Impact Your Routine?

I believe you are aware that foot pain can directly affect your daily routine and the many things that you enjoy doing.

This pain can impact your lifestyle by not making you want to exercise. It can also reflect on your social life. You might also not be up to playing with your kids because of this pain. But, don’t let this pain hold you back when you can minimize it, or have it completely eliminated!

It is important to remember that our feet are one of the hardest working parts of our bodies, they take on all the weight of our body and they provide us with support and mobility. So, we need to take proper care of them!

I want to emphasize to never ignore your foot or leg pain, it’s not normal, and no, it might not be just “aging pains”.

Too often, we are caught up in a busy routine and sometimes we don’t even take the time to find out what is causing our pain. However, you need to take action to prevent any complications.

It is important to identify where your pain is coming from exactly, so you can find the proper solution to deal with it. The good news is no matter where the pain is located, a pair of good supportive shoes in the correct size will always help to minimize or fully eliminate your pain!

Identifying Where Your Foot Pain Might be Located

I created a list that describes where the foot pain is located and why it might be happening:

• Pain in the side of the foot: this is probably due to repetitive strain on the foot or the shoes being too narrow.

• Pain in the bottom of the foot: you might be flat-footed, or the shoes are not supportive enough.

• Pain in the top of the foot: this is probably due to you having a high instep or because the shoes are too shallow.

• Pain in the back of the foot: this is probably due to you having ankle pain, or because the shoes are not providing a firm heel counter.

At the shoe store that I work for, several physical and occupational therapists refer women to the store to have them fitted for shoes and orthotics. I always start by checking those women’s shoes and sometimes the pain was simply due to them wearing shoes that were not the correct shoe size or were not providing the correct amount of support.

The Best Shoes to Eliminate Foot Pain in the Side of the Foot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Below you can find a selection of the most supportive shoes that I have fitted before that are also available in different width such as narrow (N), medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW) widths. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.

What Shoe Size Should You Order?

Take a look at the last bullet point below the description of each shoe.

Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?

If you are looking for a different type of shoe to help treat your foot pain in the side of the foot such as seasonal footwear or dress shoes don’t hesitate to contact me and I will help you find them: comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com 

All of these shoes provide optimal arch and ankle support, and several women told me how their pain fully disappeared after wearing the shoes.

Do you happen to have a child who is experiencing foot pain in the side of the foot? I created an article where I describe the best shoes for kids with foot pain in the side of the foot and you can find that article here:

Kids Foot Pain in the Side of the Foot – Let’s Start by Checking your Kids’ Shoes!

There might be certain cases where the support from the shoes will not be enough to reduce or fully eliminate the pain. If this is your case, you should try an orthotic inside the shoes for extra support.

There is a particular orthotic that I have fitted before that has proven to be the most effective one in reducing or fully eliminating the pain, and you can find it here:

If you want to learn more about how this orthotic works, you should take a look at an article I wrote called:

The Best Arch Support Inserts for Women – Support Your Feet!

If you have a good local shoe store nearby that you recommend please let us know. Also, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences below so we can all benefit from them!