Which Shoes are Best for your Foot Arch?

Not all feet are the same.

Based on the foot arch, your feet may be one of the following.

• Low Arch or Flat feet: Pronation refers to the inward leaning motion of the foot and ankle towards the arch. The more your foot pronates, the flatter is the arch.

• Normal Arch: If you have a normal arch, the middle part of the arch is slightly raised from the ground in weight bearing position. If you can slip a piece of paper in between your foot and the floor, you have a normal arch.

• High Arch: High arches are usually genetically inherited. An arch much higher or raised than normal is called a high arch. In weight bearing position, there is too much space in between the floor and the arch.

Determine your Arch Type

You can do a "home water test" to check your arch type.Pour water into a shallow pan and step in to wet the soles of your feet. Now step onto a piece of paper.

1. You have a flat or low arch, if your arch is mostly filled in
2. You have a normal arch, if you see about half of your arch region
3. You have a high arch, if your arch is hardly filled in

What type of shoes does each arch type need?

Flat feet

People with flat feet should look for the following in their shoes –

• Wide toe box that provides enough space for the toes allowing them to move freely without restrictions. This will also help to minimize discomfort in the arches.
• Cushioned footbed and arch support to prevent the collapse of plantar fasciaand minimize fatigue and pain.
• Deep heel cup to maintain proper foot realignment and relieve pressure on the plantar fascia due to heel strike.  This will also help to maintain proper sagittal motion and minimize frontal plane motion which can cause excessive pronation, arch collapse, and foot pain.

High Arch

People with high arches should look for the following in their shoes –

• Shoes with well-designed foot beds to provide comfort to the heel and arch support along with support for the plantar fascia.
• Shoes with rigid shank.To check, take the shoe and bend it in half. The shank should be rigid enough to hold up and support the arch.
• Rigid heel counter. Squeeze the heel of the shoe to check firmness. You shouldn't be able to compress it. Also, the heel of the shoe should be wider on the bottom to add stability.

If you are looking for the best foot treatment doctor in Phoenix, Arizona, call Oasis Foot and Ankle Center at 602-993-2700 right away.

About This Author

oasisfootankle Joined: June 25th, 2018