Best Insoles For High Arches | Physical Therapist's Top Pick (2024)

Finding Good Insoles For High Arches Is Difficult

if you have high arches, you may already know that it's hard to find good insoles with high arch support.

Why is that?

Most arch supports are made for people with flat feet or to control pronation.

Overpronating, or flattening the foot too much, is one of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis.

Therefore, most over-the-counter insoles are designed to give support to a foot that doesn't inherently have it.

However, if you have high arches, you already have enough structural support in your foot.

High Arch Insoles Should Provide Shock Absorption

People with high arches normally don't overpronate. In fact, under-pronating may be the bigger problem.

When your foot pronates, it helps you to absorb shock. If your foot doesn't pronate enough, it transmits the force of your foot hitting the ground up your leg into your ankles, shins, knees, hips, and even back.

Additionally, you may get heel pain or foot pain from too much impact when walking, or especially running.

Therefore rather than true structural support, insoles for high arches should provide shock absorption.

What Features To Look For In High Arch Insoles

• They should have a high enough arch to fill the gap between your arch and the ground.
• They should be made from shock-absorbing materials such as flexible plastic, foam, and/or gel.
• They should NOT be excessively hard or stiff.

My Pick For Best Insoles For High Arches

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of insoles on the market, so to truly say that one brand is theBEST for everyone would be naïve.... Either that or you have an agenda to sell that particular type of insole.

I've seen MANY different types of over-the-counter insoles as well as custom orthotics, and I've seen very few that are made for people with high arches.

Most over-the-counter insoles aren't high enough.

Most custom orthotics are too stiff or hard and may be uncomfortable for people with high arches.

However, I recently came across a brand of over-the-counter insoles that provides a good combination of both height and shock absorption.

Spenco Ground Control Shoe Insoles For High Arches

These orthotics have a REALLY high arch, but they're made of a flexible material that allows them to bend and twist.

Additionally, they have a shock-absorbing heel pad and decoupled heel offering different amounts of support to your rearfoot and midfoot.

So those are the Spenco Ground-Control Insoles. If you'd like to get a pair you can buy them on Amazon.

High Arch Insoles Vs Orthotics

If you have really high arches or if you've been through several pairs of off-the-shelf insoles and are stiff having foot pain, you may need custom orthotics.

However, most custom orthotics aren't designed for people with high arches.

Traditional custom orthotics are hard and don't offer great shock absorption. They're usually designed to control excessive pronation.

However, as noted above, if you have high arches, you really don't need pronation control.

Rather, you need a cushioned, shock-absorbing type of insole with a high arch support.

If you live in the St. Louis area and need custom orthotics for high arches, click here to request your Free Orthotic Foot Scan.

Best Running Shoes For High Arches

If you have a high arch, you don't want stiff, rigid shoes that excessively control pronation. "Neutral" running shoes are designed to keep your foot in a neutral position while providing cushioning and shock absorption.

Neutral shoes are best for people with high arches or people who overly supinate when running.

Some examples of neutral running shoes are the Saucony Women's Endorphin Pro Running Shoe

or the Brooks Launch 8 Neutral Running Shoe

New Shoes and Insoles Aren't Always Enough To Stop Foot Pain

Runners always default to getting new shoes whenever they start to have injury.

Shoes are often a factor in foot pain and other types of running injures, but they're usually not the only factor or even the biggest factor.

Training volume, running technique, core stability, hip muscles strength, and flexibility in your calves and hip flexors are often bigger factors when it comes to running injuries.

What Is The Back To Running Evaluation?

The Back To Running Evaluation includes: