Flat feet and fallen arches can lead to a variety of painful ailments due to a lack of structure in your feet to support the body from ground level. The right pair of arch support insoles can help alleviate pain and discomfort in the feet, legs and beyond, caused by flat feet and fallen arches.
But which insoles for flat feet should you choose? With so many options available, what makes the best shoe insert for flat feet?
This post will discuss exactly what it means to have flat feet, and how flat feet can lead to painful problems. It will also explain what to look for in a pair of arch support insoles for flat feet and fallen arches, and why SOLE custom heat moldable footbeds are the best flat feet orthotics available.
What does having flat feet mean?
To properly understand what makes a good insole for flat feet, it’s first important to understand what we mean by flat feet. Having flat feet is when your feet lack the arch that gives structure and support to your feet. If you study your footprint, a person with a flat foot will have a footprint without the ‘waist’ in the middle that most regular footprints have.
Flat feet vs fallen arches.
We are all born with flat feet, but most people will develop an arch over time as we grow. People are said to have flat feet when they never developed that arch in their feet. Fallen arches, on the other hand, occur when your arch collapses over time, resulting in your feet being flat. Both conditions lead to a lack of structural support in your feet.
Can flat feet cause knee pain, ankle pain, back pain and hip pain?
The arch of the foot performs a crucial function in the healthy movement of your feet and legs. A healthy arch will ensure that your foot is moving in neutral alignment, minimizing strain on your ankles, knees and hips.
The arch of the foot also helps to absorb pressure and strain with each step, as it stretches and compresses through each step. Without that shock absorption, strain and pressure is transferred up your body’s chain of motion.
For these reasons, flat feet and fallen arches can lead to pain and injury in your ankles, knees, hips and even your back.
Arch support shoe inserts for flat feet.
The first essential element of a good pair of insoles for flat feet is that they should support the arch. By adding arch support to your shoes, flat feet inserts help provide the structure and strain reduction that would otherwise be offered by your foot’s natural arch.
Many arch supports will be uncomfortable for people with flat feet, as they apply pressure you’re unused to in the arch area. Other insoles, specifically for flat feet, may not provide enough support, and only give partial benefits of introducing arch support.
That’s why the best arch supports for flat feet are custom moldable to your unique feet. SOLE footbeds all come with a high supportive arch that custom molds to your unique feet in a simple heat molding process using your oven at home. This process can be repeated multiple times to ensure the insoles offer the perfect combination of comfort and support.
By heat molding SOLE footbeds, you enjoy all the benefits of having proper structural support beneath your feet, while still being able to wear the insoles comfortably.
Insoles for flat feet and pronation.
One of the most common effects of having flat feet is that you will overpronate with every step. A lack of a supportive arch means that your foot rolls too far inward as you walk, placing excess strain on your joints.
SOLE footbeds have a unique Signature Supportive Shape that’s especially effective at correcting flat feet with pronation. As mentioned above, these moldable insoles for flat feet provide customizable arch support. They also offer a deep heel cup that cradles the heel in place, preventing excess lateral movement to promote neutral alignment.
This healthy alignment in your feet will take pressure off your ankles, knees, and hips. This helps to relieve pain that stems from your feet, but can spread as far as your back.
Another benefit of the footbed’s deep heel cup is that it holds your heel’s natural fatty tissue beneath the heel bone. This helps to make the most of your body’s natural cushioning as you walk.
Arch support insoles for flat feet and plantar fasciitis.
Many people with flat feet or fallen arches tend to suffer from plantar fasciitis. This occurs due to excess strain being placed on the plantar fascia ligament that runs from your heel to your toes.
SOLE footbeds are clinically proven to reduce plantar fascia strain by an average of 34%. This reduction in strain gives immediate relief from plantar fascia pain. It also means your plantar fascia ligament has a chance to heal while you go about your regular daily life, to facilitate long-term healing.
The SOLE Signature Shape will also help address the cause of plantar fasciitis in flat feet, including overpronation, discussed above.
Get zero drop shoes for flat feet.
Many shoe brands that cater to those looking for zero drop shoes don’t provide any arch support in their footwear. This can make it challenging to find zero drop shoes for flat feet.
SOLE footbeds are all zero drop. They won’t alter the heel-to-toe drop of any shoe you put them in. This means you can buy any zero drop shoe and use SOLE footbeds to add arch support to create your own zero drop shoes for flat feet.
SOLE footbeds are also available in Wide styles, specifically designed to fit seamlessly in shoes with a wide toe box, as is common in many zero drop shoes like Altras and Topo Athletic.
With SOLE footbeds, the bottom of your heel sits at the same height as your forefoot.
With SOLE footbeds, the bottom of your heel sits at the same height as your forefoot.
Make any shoe the best shoes for flat feet and fallen arches.
SOLE footbeds come in three thicknesses, to fit any shoe. This means that with SOLE any shoe can be a good shoe for flat feet or fallen arches.
Our Thin footbeds allow you to upgrade your dress shoes, skates, cleats, casual sneakers and other snug-fitting footwear, to be comfortable with flat feet.
Our Medium footbeds will turn your basketball shoes, running shoes, sneakers, tennis shoes, and any other regular-fitting footwear into the best shoes you can get for flat feet.
Our Thick footbeds will add ultimate cushioned comfort for flat feet in hiking boots, work boots, rain boots, and other shoes that fit with wiggle room to spare.