Shoes for Fallen Arches and Pronation

I love anything by birkenstock or haflinger. They make clogs and shoes as well as sandals

The inserts from The Walking Company have done wonders for me. It is best if you can stop by and have them assess your feet.

I bought the Good Feet https://www.goodfeet.com a month ago, primarily to relieve bunion pain and as an alternative to surgery. The idea is to be proactive rather than reactive, as my pain was dependent upon the shoe I was wearing (and I wear GOOD shoes). In the few weeks since I've been wearing the inserts approx. 75% of the time, I can honestly say my bunion pain is gone, AND I've noticed a separation in my toes that was not there before. Meaning it's working. I don't expect my bunions to be gone altogether, but I've had definite pain relief. They can be worn with sandals (I did that today with my Taos Trulia sandals) and it's hardly noticeable.

I bought the Good Feet https://www.goodfeet.com a month ago, primarily to relieve bunion pain and as an alternative to surgery. The idea is to be proactive rather than reactive, as my pain was dependent upon the shoe I was wearing (and I wear GOOD shoes). In the few weeks since I've been wearing the inserts approx. 75% of the time, I can honestly say my bunion pain is gone, AND I've noticed a separation in my toes that was not there before. Meaning it's working. I don't expect my bunions to be gone altogether, but I've had definite pain relief. They can be worn with sandals (I did that today with my Taos Trulia sandals) and it's hardly noticeable.

You don't mention where you live, but you should try to find a good shoe store like the Walking Company. You need a place that can properly measure your foot and supply you with a range of options both in shoes and insets. What works well for one person won't work at all for someone else. I went to a store similar to the one mentioned and the salesperson had me try several shoes that I likely never would have selected on my own. They also had me try several different types of inserts before we found the right combination. It's made a world of difference. I can now walk all day with little to no foot or knee pain.

I've had the best luck with Merrell shoes, since I started wearing them 8 years ago I have not had any pain!

Merrells worked for me in the past but the toe box and the laces became an issue. I have been wearing Altra brand for several years and they are the best I have ever tried. I wear custom orthotics for my faciatis and I have pronation. In the Altra line the provisiones model works best for me. Altra site or Zappos carry this brand.

I’m not sure how much luck you will have finding something that will work with this short a window. I find I need a good few weeks to break in a new shoe...and you have foot issues, so it could be worse.

Something from new balance could work...I sold shoes for 12 years, and they seemed to have shoes to counteract pronation and supination issues. I didn’t work in the athletic shoes dept, but I did learn a little about them (I moonlighted a few times).

Dunham (owned by NB...at the time at least...I haven’t sold shoes since 2011) also had ‘dressier’ rockport type shoes that had some of the same features as NB. And NB did have shoes that weren’t so sneaker-y looking.

Good luck!

Zappos shoes typically arrives in 2 days or less. Definitely walk in the shoes before the trip. In my case I know in 5 miles or less if the shoes work for me and I suspect that most with foot issues know sooner rather than later if the shoes work. Have also recently discovered the absolute best thong sandal for people with foot issues. OOFOS are the brand from their site or from Zappos. Unlike any other thong sandal, these have arch support and are very cushioned. They are marketed as a sport recovery sandal which I now understand. I only take the walking shoes and the OOFOS on my trips...no additional shoes at all!

On such a short notice, I would depend on the pair you already have as your main pair and anything else should be back up. As others mentioned a really good shoe store such as the Walking Company should be able to help you out.

For the previous poster, another brand of thong sandals with arch support is Vionic and they are wonderful. They have other styles of shoes as well but I have not worn any of those so I cannot speak to them. For women, I find that their thong sandal with a platform has more cushion than the other sandals but may cause you to trip if you are clumsy.

Like cafetista.bruja, I have transitioned completely to Altras. I have the Provisioness walking shoes as well as several other styles. I generally use the Lone Peaks as my go-to touring shoe now with the Provisioness as a backup.

I would generally hesitate to recommend you get something this close to departure but for me the Altras don't really require any break in time altho they are a Zero Drop platform (heel and toe are on the same level so heel is not raised which can cause arch problems) and if you are used to wearing shoes with a heel this may bother your achilles. I transitioned to them from a negative heel so had no problem but YMMV.

I find the Altras run small so I order a size up. If you decide to order these (and I get them from Zappos too) consider ordering 2 sizes and see which works best. Zappos has free return shipping as well so no loss to you except time to drop it off at the UPS store! Then wear them a lot before you go.

Once you come back home, take a look at the product called Correct Toes. (www.correcttoes.com) Wearing these inserts while you are active will strengthen your foot including your arch while inserts will just prop them up but won't change the intrinsic structure. Don't try to use them before you go as there is some break in time with them.

I don't have any connection with any of these products, just am a Plantar Fasciitis-free satisfied customer!

My wife is having serious problems with mid foot arthritis. She can barely walk some days. An orthopedic foot surgeon prescribed her custom orthodic inserts to wear all the time. The only shoes she can wear are Allegra's with a rocker bottom. Our Belks Dept. Store has a whole Allegra department as it is what nurses and other professions that stand a lot wear.

Plantar fasciitis has caused me to be constantly researching a better shoes for this condition. As another poster said Altras are wonderful. And I agree about the size .I wear a 7 but the 8 ,Altras fit better especially with my prescription inserts. Prescription inserts are SO much more effective than an insert purchased in a store.
Also wore Vionics for a while, but the Offos have been a game changer for me. No comparison to any other thong.
Also a little off topic, but there is a specified brand of tart cherry that seems to greatly help. Sports Research brand Tart Cherry. (Available Amazon)
I have had the issue of plantar fasciitis plus some tendonitis for about 15 years but have never stopped walking, long walks/hikes while travelling but also daily at home. I had to figure out how to manage these conditions because staying active is incredibly important.
And like the one poster ,I have experienced all ranges of pain from severe to minor,but I expect at 66 years this is something I will continue to have and hopefully continue to manage so I can walk.

Thanks everyone for all the responses!! Great information and very helpful.

I’m going to Italy in a few weeks as well and have severely flat feet. Before an appointment with my podiatrist, I purchased the Ecco Soft 7 sneakers and have been happy with them but my doctor gave me a list of shoes that give incredible support. He said that this —along with some good exercise — would help my plantar fasciitis and other foot issues. I ended up choosing Brooks Ariel running shoes which were quite an investment but are like walking on clouds. Absolutely no break in period whatsoever. I’ve bought so many different shoes over the years that haven’t been comfortable and I don’t want to do that to myself again. Good luck to you—hope this might be helpful.