To help you find the right shoes for you, we consulted experts including Fishkin, Yau, and Tony Gavin, CEO and leading podiatrist at Osgo Healthcare. Thankfully, there are tons of shoes for flat feet out there that are suitable for any style preference or sport, and these can help prevent and manage all of the associated foot problems.
For these specific foot concerns, you want to make sure that your flat feet-friendly shoes also borrow features from the best shoes for bunions or the best shoes for plantar fasciitis for layers of support. “In severe cases, flat feet can lead to the development of bunions and hammertoes.” They can also lead to developing calluses and plantar fasciitis, among other conditions. “People with flat feet are more likely to suffer from ankle and foot pain, as well as muscle fatigue,” Yau says. Unfortunately, foot pain isn’t the only foot problem you can encounter if you have the collapsed arches congruent with flat feet. Stability running shoes and walking shoes may help. “Overpronation can lead to pain in the foot and leg due to the unnatural strain it places on the joints and muscles,” Yau explains. Flat feet, also called pes planus, “can occur due to genetic factors, age, or injury,” says London-based podiatrist Marion Yau, adding that the condition “can cause overpronation when walking and running.” This means that the foot rolls inward with each step.