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Do you have flat feet or do you overpronate, or both? That can make a difference. I would go to a running store and have them evaluate and make recommendations and let them know your budget. I don't actually have flat feet but I overpronate. I actually had no idea until I went to buy ski boots. The inserts I got for them were a miracle in how my feet and legs felt after a day of skiing. Thus, I went and got reccs for athletic shoes and I just thought I was a terrible runner (frequent shin splints and other pains). I still don't love running but at least I can do it now. The shoes are bulkier than I like, and I only wear them when I need to so they last. And yes, there are many brands out there that make shoes for different types of support...so you have options. I've found shoes from Adidas, Saucony, and Nike that work for me (and that was just because they looked more attractive to me than other brands...but there are many). Once you have a style you can search for discontinued colors online to try and cut the price a little more. I haven't had much luck with that as a woman with a 10.5 shoe and I'm picky about appearance, but they are there anyway.
This is good advice. Many of the other posters are caught up with their certain shoe brands. Most running shoe manufacturers have shoes that will work for each person's feet. Running shoes are typically classified as stability, motion control, or neutral. It has to do with the arch of your foot. A low arch is flat footed and usually requires a motion control shoe. Regarding widths, most manufacturers make narrow to wide shoes. Most stores don't stock all the different sizes and widths.
A couple of things where I have found differences is with the toe box. I prefer a wider toe box and some shoe brands tend to run narrow in the toe box. Another difference is with the instep. This is where you have to try the shoe on. I pay a lot of attention to whether the shoe give me room on the top of my foot.
I've started back to the gym after some health issues and all three of my athletic shoes hurt my feet after being on the treadmill for half an hour. Two are Sketchers and one is a Nike. In googling "best athletic shoes for flat feet" they all seem to be over $110 which is out of my budget right now. I'm not a runner, I just do treadmill at a fairly fast pace and I do the incline also, sometimes as high as 9.
Anybody have any suggestions as to a good athletic shoe for flat feet or could I get supports to put in my existing ones?
It's just personal, no such thing. It's sort of like the best desk chair. Merrell Trail Glove works well for me. It's a more minimalist shoe though. Zero drop and a 4mm stack height. Someone else may prefer a 8mm drop 24 mm stack height. Neither is better. It's just personal preference. I've slowly moved to more and more minimalist shoes as I just prefer them. I probably wouldn't jump straight to a zero drop shoe with a 4mm stack height if that's not what you're used to.
When I do the wet foot test I can see almost the entire outline of my foot. I also like a shoe with a wider toe box.
The best fitting shoe I ever wore was my wedding shoe back in the 80's. It was a double A with a AAAA heel. Those suckers had a heel over 2" tall and I wore them all night for dancing without any discomfort. Too bad they don't make athletic shoes. :-)
I've started back to the gym after some health issues and all three of my athletic shoes hurt my feet after being on the treadmill for half an hour. Two are Sketchers and one is a Nike. In googling "best athletic shoes for flat feet" they all seem to be over $110 which is out of my budget right now. I'm not a runner, I just do treadmill at a fairly fast pace and I do the incline also, sometimes as high as 9.
Anybody have any suggestions as to a good athletic shoe for flat feet or could I get supports to put in my existing ones?
I enjoy running but have the body size of a linebacker - heavier than the "runner's build". So, I use the Scholl's athletic insoles. They help a lot. But it depends on the fit. There are several insoles meant to help runners - but they vary in arch and comfort depending on the shape of your sole. It's "hit or miss". I just found that Scholl's athletic insoles to be great. By contrast, the Scholl's runner insoles were too high for the arch. You have to try them out but if found can work. They really do reduce impact by about 25-40% which makes a difference over miles.
I've started back to the gym after some health issues and all three of my athletic shoes hurt my feet after being on the treadmill for half an hour. Two are Sketchers and one is a Nike. In googling "best athletic shoes for flat feet" they all seem to be over $110 which is out of my budget right now. I'm not a runner, I just do treadmill at a fairly fast pace and I do the incline also, sometimes as high as 9.
Anybody have any suggestions as to a good athletic shoe for flat feet or could I get supports to put in my existing ones?
Yes, go to one of those Dr Scholls machines that scan the bottom of your foot and then get whatever it suggests. My feet are terribly flat and I get the Dr Scholl's CF440's.. Maybe yours will be something different though.
But I had a pair of custom orthotics that a podiatrist made and these work better for me..
Just go to a proper running shoe store. All of us strangers on the internet are speculating about things like your degree of pronation, foot stiffness vs flexibility, etc.
A good pair of running shoes will provide the proper support for other weight-bearing exercises too.
If money is really that much of an issue you can buy one pair at the store, and then in the future buy either that model or its replacement model by mail order. But just ordering one thing after another based on the recommendations of strangers who have never seen you will waste a lot of time and money.
Personally, having seen the costs of knee surgery, rehabilitation, or on the other hand the cost of inactivity (heart attacks, strokes, etc.) I grit my teeth and buy the right shoe, viewing it as an investment in my ongoing good health. Believe me, avoiding one knee surgery (which never return you to as-new condition no matter what anyone says) will pay for many pairs of high quality athletic shoes.
I finally had to bite the bullet when my one good pair had rubber falling off the bottom and bought a pair of New Balance Running shoes. They were "on sale" for $129. I hated to spend that much right now but I have had plantar fasciitis in the past so I need to be careful about what I wear on my feet at the gym. Surprisingly for me instead of my usual size 7 1/2 medium width they fitted me with a pair of 8 narrows. I've worn them 3 times already and they feel great. If I start getting any foot or ankle issues I will get the Dr. Scholl's inserts.
I've worn Saucony sneakers in the past, also New Balance.
Now my feet hurt it both, and so do my knees.
I have pancake wide, flat feet and wearing Vionic flip flops feels great. Vionics have good arch and a heel cup that dips down on the outside edge so keeps my ankles and knees in line.
Alas, though I've bought numerous of their sneakers, shoes and clogs, my feet, knees, and ankles still hurt. None feel as good as their flip flops.
Is there a good walking shoe that has a wide toe box, good arch support, and a cupped heel that tilts the foot to the outside to compensate for pronation?
I've started back to the gym after some health issues and all three of my athletic shoes hurt my feet after being on the treadmill for half an hour. Two are Sketchers and one is a Nike. In googling "best athletic shoes for flat feet" they all seem to be over $110 which is out of my budget right now. I'm not a runner, I just do treadmill at a fairly fast pace and I do the incline also, sometimes as high as 9.
Anybody have any suggestions as to a good athletic shoe for flat feet or could I get supports to put in my existing ones?
I would buy a Nike Air Pegasus and spend about 30 dollars on a good gel insole. Most insoles that come with the shoe are cheap and wear out.
Otherwise, you're looking at a stability shoes with a lot of cushion and allow room for orthotics like a replacement gel insole. Most are about 160-200,such as the Asics Gel Kayano, Nike Air Max, Brooks Beast, and New Balance 1260 or 1340. I've worn all of the above. They are great shoes, but much better with a replacement insole. The replacement insoles also last a lot longer.
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