What are insoles, why would you wear them and what are shoe insoles for? Read our insoles guide for all the reasons why so many people rely on insoles to keep their feet comfy.
Most people seem to wear insoles for medical reasons, while others wear them for comfort, support and sport.
An insole is the interior bottom of a shoe which the foot rests on top of. Many shoes come with removable and replaceable insoles while extra insoles can be added for comfort or health reasons. This is often to correct the shape of the foot which can result in poor posture whilst walking or standing. Sometimes it’s simply to provide additional cushioning for people who spend all day on their feet.
There are a wide range of shoe insoles available for an equally large variety of purposes. So whether you feel that you could get more out of your smart shoes, work boots of running shoes, then there will be suitable shoe insoles for you.
Orthotic insoles are usually worn by people who spent a lot of time on their feet or require additional cushioning and support for medical reasons. These insoles are designed to re-align your feet into their natural position which helps improve posture and relieve pain. Popular amongst those who sufer from arthritis and aching joints, orthotic insoles can cure a wide range of aches and pains produced by poor functionality of the foot.
By restoring the foot to its natural positioning, orthotic insoles create even weight distribution, which also makes them ideal for enhancing performance footwear such as walking shoes as well as work boots which will be worn during demanding tasks over long distances and long periods of time.
While we generally recommend insoles for walking shoes and hiking boots as well as people with aching joints, orthotic insoles allow the muscles and bones in your feet and lower legs are able to function at their highest potential, so it becomes easier to walk more comfortable for extended periods of time.
For those who find conventional orthotic insoles uncomfortable, memory insoles provide an ideal alternative. Memory insoles utilise a variety of memory foams which cradle the shape of your foot, creating a personalised fit while supporting your foot from every angle for unrivalled comfort and stability. Once the memory insole has moulded to your foot shape, it maintains this shape, providing instant comfort every time you slip your shoes on.
Some orthotics take the form of arch support insoles. These are designed to provide support for your arches by correcting your standing and walking posture. Generally recommended for people with high arches, these insoles support the weaker arch areas of the foot and prevent over pronation, which is a mechanic of the foot in running and walking. By promoting the proper neutral pronation, the body will benefit from reduced fatigue and see an improvement in performance as the foot is utilised to its fullest.
Like other orthotic insoles, arch support insoles are lightweight, cushioned and supporting, providing additional shock absorption, taking pressure off aching joints and injuries, making them suitable for people who spend all day on their feet at work in during outdoors activities.
For outdoor activities which can range from walking and hiking to running and cycling, there are a wide range of suitable sports insoles. These are often specialised for specific activity and offer a range of shock dispersing designs from heel insoles to full length insoles created to provide additional cushioning to the entirety of the foot.
Many of these sports performance insoles utilise the latest innovative materials, including gels. Gel insoles contain an engineered gel substance designed to offer extreme cushioning with minimal compression. These gel substances are often a thousand times denser (on the microscopic level) than traditional cushioning materials such as foam and offer superior shock dispersal, comfort and protection. Many heel insoles used for running feature this new gel technology, allowing them to better absorb and impact of heavy heel strikes on concrete roads and gravel paths.
Because of their high performance, gel insoles make up the majority of running insoles, providing the durability and shock absorption that’s required for short sprints and long distance runs, typically on tarmac streets.
To meet the needs of runners and the vast variety of pronators, over-pronators and under-pronators, there are an equally large number of running insoles available, which range from heel insoles, to full length insoles with increasing amounts of cushioning. Generally the heavier someone runs or the longer someone is running for, the greater amount of cushioning they will need from their insoles. This can also vary from the traditional heel strike to mid foot strike cushioning and even full strike cushioning for runners with flat feet. In high performance running insoles, additional cushioning is also provided for the forefoot.
So whether you’re walking, hiking, running or spending all day on your feet, visit the insoles shop at Fitness Footwear for the web’s widest choice of sports and orthotic insoles.
If you’re not sure which insoles would be right for you? Then give superfeet green insoles a try!
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