If you’ve got flat feet there is no need to resign yourself to a life time of pain and limited, uncompromising shoe choices. In other words, not having a proper arch on your foot doesn’t mean you need to skip out on going to the beach, working in certain situations or indulging in any other activity just because your foot is a little different.
Here’s a few ideas on the kind of shoes that are best for flat feet in a variety of different circumstances.
If you’ve gone shopping for any kind of footwear for flat feet, you know that the whole process can be a little daunting. Of course you need a little more support than people who are lucky enough to have normal arches , but there are several other questions such as what kind of shoes have the best arches and how being flat footed can affect your health.
Here’s the problem that you need to address. With the proper arch, every step puts weight on the balls and heel of your foot. With flat feet, there is an unusual stress on your hip joint that needs to be considered.
Long story short is you need to buy the proper shoes that have good arch support as well as orthopedic inserts that you can slip inside your shoes. Here are a few of the tests you need to work through to get the best shoes for your flat feet.
- How the shoe bends. If you can bend the shoe at the point where your toes will fit in, you generally get enough support and that part of your foot won’t be cramped. However, if you can flex that footwear in the middle, your arches might be let down by that particular style.
- You don’t want to twist and shout. That might be a popular dance move but it’s bad news when you are picking a pair of shoes for flat feet. If you pick a shoe that is hard to move around and twist in, you’ll get the kind of support you’ll need for those arches.
Finally, it’s a good idea to look for a stiff heel so that you get the entire support package in one shoe. Keep in mind that extra support doesn’t mean you have to give in and compromise an easy fit. The extra support described here actually means you’ll be more comfortable.
