Have you been diagnosed with fat pad atrophy and can’t seem to find a good pair of supportive shoes? Did you know that women are more prone to developing fat pad atrophy from wearing high heels or shoes that are fitted too short or too narrow? Wearing shoes that are sturdy and provide extra cushion and padding can be quite successful to ease pain and prevent symptoms from getting worse. I will show you a list of the best women’s shoes for fat pad atrophy based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
At the shoe store that I work for, I have seen many women with fat pad atrophy who are not only experiencing foot pain but also developed severe callouses on their feet. If your foot pain is interfering with productivity and your daily activities, it’s time to find a solution to your foot pain. As women age, they also become more prone to developing this condition. I like to make the analogy that the foot fat pad is like the thread of a tire, it can thin over time.
My Experience Helping Women with Fat Pad Atrophy
I have fitted women’s shoes for many years at a shoe store that specializes in helping people with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot problems. I have helped several women with fat pad atrophy find the perfect pair of shoes for their feet, and I believe I will be able to help you too. Some of these women had general foot pain while some others experienced pain right below their heels.
What Makes the Shoes that I Recommend Ideal for Women with Fat Pad Atrophy?
The key is to find a pair of shoes that provide supportive outsoles with extra cushion and padding right below the heels. Let me help you visualize what features your shoes must provide:
1️⃣ Supportive Outsoles
Do you notice how the shoe on the right has a more substantial and supportive outsole compared to the shoes on the left? The extra cushion that the shoe on the right provides will help reduce the impact that your feet take when they come in contact with the ground.
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counters with Extra Padding below the Heels
The heel counter is the back part of the shoe, and the firmer it is, the better. The shoes I recommend provide extra cushion and padding right below the heels. Do you notice how the shoe on the right has infused gel to cushion and support your feet?
What are the 3 Most Common and Effective Ways to Treat Fat Pad Atrophy?
- Supportive shoes
- Orthotics
- Heel cups
These conservative treatments have proven to be extremely effective when it comes to significantly reducing or fully eliminating foot pain.
Before I show you a list of the best women’s shoes for fat pad atrophy, let’s make sure that you know your exact foot size. You won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know what your foot size is to begin with.
Don’t Insist On Getting the Same Shoe Size You Have Always Worn!
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.
How to Find Out Your Exact Foot Length
Buying shoes online can be a challenge. If you are unsure of your current foot length, I suggest that you take a look at a free resource I created where I help women determine their exact foot shape and length from home:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Let’s now take a look at the best women’s shoes for fat pad atrophy. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Women’s Shoes for Fat Pad Atrophy
The description below each shoe describes what foot shape that particular shoe can accommodate (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep) as well as other important information such as what shoe size you should order and the features that the shoe provides.
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodate high insteps
- An ENCAP midsole combines lightweight foam with a durable polyurethane rim to deliver all-day support
- Dual-density collar foam that offers support and comfort for your heels and ankles
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Cushioning outsole with a mild rocker adds spring to your step.
- Multiple cushioning layers provide pillow-like support that works wonders to enhance comfort and help ease pain on the foot and heel
- 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 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
- Engineered mesh upper improves breathability
- 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
- 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
- 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, medium, and 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 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
Make Sure that your Shoes Are Properly Tied!
It’s important that you tie your shoes comfortably tight to reduce friction and rubbing under the soles of your feet.
Is Most of Your Pain Around Your Heels?
If you experience most of your pain right below your heels you should strongly consider fitting a heel cup inside of the shoes to provide targeted cushion and support to the area. You can learn more about the best heel cups for women in a different article I wrote:
Best Heel Cups for Women with Heel Pain – An Effective and Affordable Way to Treat Your Heel Pain!
Is Most of Your Pain Along Your Forefoot?
If most of your pain is along your forefoot, the correct types of orthotics can help cushion tender areas of the foot.
Wearing orthotics or shoe inserts is a go-to treatment for many podiatrists. However, I usually suggest to start by wearing a pair of supportive shoes first, and if the pain persists then try an orthotic. There is no reason to invest in an orthotic right away if a pair of supportive shoes might be all you need.
Should I Fit an Orthotic Inside These Shoes?
All of the shoes below provide extra depth and removable insoles which means that they can accommodate orthotics.
If you are unsure about which orthotic might work best for your feet I suggest that you ask your question in the comment section below or send me an email to:
comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com
What are the Best Socks for Women with Fat Pad Atrophy?
Socks act as a barrier between your feet and the shoes, and I have found certain socks that help reduce friction, abrasion, shear forces and callus formation:
- Reinforced heel and toe for extra durability and sturdiness
- Arch band increases support
- The ventilation mesh structure at the top helps keep your feet dry and cool
- Thickened towel bottom pads on the soles and heels to minimize the friction between the feet and the soles
- Good mesh ventilation allows feet to breathe freely, keeping them dry all day long
- Extra protection in high impact areas from high-density cushioning
- Zone-specific compression for superior comfort and support
- Seamless toe
It is important for women with fat pad atrophy to wear shoes at all times as going barefoot will be painful and might aggravate the condition. The main conservative treatment for women with at pad atrophy is wearing supportive footwear to provide extra cushioning under the heel and balls of the feet.
Keep in mind that shoes that work really well for some women will not necessarily work as well for your feet. All feet are different and the shoes must fit your unique foot shape so you can get the full benefits that the shoes have to offer.
Let me know in the comment section below what conservative treatment have you tried to help reduce your foot pain.
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