The shoe advice I needed years ago.
The Best Shoes for High Arches, According to Podiatrists
- Brooks Glycerin Flex, $170 at brooksrunning.com
- Asics Gel-Nimbus 28, $125 (was $165) at zappos.com
- On Cloudswift 4, $170 at on.com
- Hoka Clifton 10, $155 at hoka.com
If you’ve ever had the unique “pleasure” of wrestling a pair of shoes onto a toddler, you already have a pretty accurate mental image of my life a few weeks ago. Picture this: me, crouched on the ground in the ski resort parking lot during our spring break trip, “helping” my tween and teen daughters—both blessed with sky-high arches—force their feet into unforgiving ski boots.
Spoiler: It was not a graceful scene. There may have been tears (not just theirs). There was definitely cursing (not just mine). Genetics, of course, is partly to blame. Those dramatic arches come straight from my mother and me. A proud, if slightly inconvenient, family trait. But here’s the thing about high arches: It’s not just about finding a shoe that accommodates the top of your foot. As I learned after chatting with a couple of podiatrists, what really matters is what’s going on underneath—how your foot is supported from the ground up.
“High-arched feet are poor shock absorbers. They tend to carry increased pressure at the ball of the foot and the heel due to a more rigid foot structure,” says Anne Sharkey, D.P.M., FACFASfounder of Solely Podiatry. Both Sharkey and Nasim Kalhor, D.P.M.podiatrist at Foot & Ankle Concepts Inc. in California and founder of Dr. Antifungusrecommended that people with high arches wear shoes with ample cushioning and a shock-absorbing midsole.
That being said, don’t overthink arch support in the traditional sense, said Kalhor. “What they really need to consider is cushioning that helps spread pressure out. A shoe should feel comfortable right away, not like it’s pushing up aggressively into the arch.” Both also recommend a shoe with a deep heel cup for additional stability. “High arches can make people a little more prone to ankle instability without realizing it,” said Kalhor.
Of course, while I had Sharkey and Kalhor on the hook, I asked them for specific shoe recommendations—because at this point, getting shoes on my family’s feet feels like a team sport. Here’s what they said.
Brooks Glycerin Flex
This Brooks sneaker’s plush cushioning and flexible midfoot make it a great choice for someone with high arches. This shoe was Sharkey’s top pick. I also now better understand why the Glycerin GTS 23 treats my foot as well as it does.
Asics Gel-Nimbus 28
Another recommendation from Sharkey, the Gel-Nimbus 28 has maximum cushioning and a responsive foam midsole. When you have high arches, it’s important to allow your foot to move naturally: “I see patients struggle while wearing very rigid motion control shoes, which can feel supportive, but they don’t allow the foot to move naturally, which can actually make high arch symptoms worse,” said Kalhor.
On Cloudswift 4
On describes the cushion of this shoe as “mid,” which makes it the least cushioned on this list. That being said, the midsole is designed to be soft and responsive, and the sleeve just below the ankle adds extra stability.
Clifton 10 disappointment
This isn’t the first time a podiatrist has recommended the Hoka Clifton 10—it seems the support of this shoe is great for runners, people with wide feet, those who suffer from back pain and more. “This shoe’s softer, more forgiving midsole matters because a high-arched foot doesn’t absorb shock well on its own,” said Kalhor. “Over time, that’s where I see a lot of issues start, like heel pain, forefoot pressure, even stress- injuries—just from the way the foot is taking impact.”
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