Everyone’s feet pronate a little, but if your shoes aren’t giving you the support you need while walking, it might be time for an upgrade. Check out our team’s favorite walking shoes for overpronation to make every step feel smoother, steadier, and just overall better.
When you’re spending a lot of time on your feet at work, logging your daily steps, or just simply walking around, you want your feet to be comfortable.
Walking has many health benefits, but it’s incredibly important to buy walking shoes that fit you properly to avoid blisters, discomfort or even things like knee pain. That’s right, if your foot is rolling inward it can create all kinds of issues.
This research study found that those who wore shoes that helped control the stride while walking or running lowered their risk of injuries caused by overpronation.
If you tend to overpronate, pairing the right strength work with the right shoes could be exactly what your feet need.
Overpronation Explained: Signs Your Feet Need Extra Support
Pronation refers to how your foot naturally rolls inward to distribute impact as you walk. Everyone does it, as it’s a key part of your gait cycle that helps absorb shock from the ground.
Pronation happens when your ankle and arch slightly collapse, rolling your foot from heel to forefoot until most of your weight is on your big toe.
The degree to which you roll inward or outward determines the type of pronation that you have and will help guide you to making any necessary changes.
- Overpronation is when your foot rolls inward too far.
- Neutral pronation is when you don’t have excessive rolling inward or outward of the foot upon landing.
- Underpronation, also known as supination, is where your foot does not roll inward enough when you run or actually rolls outward.
Image from Asics
When you overpronate, your foot rolls too far inward. This puts excess stress on the inner foot, ankles, knees, and hips. It’s especially common if you have flatter feet, and it can make you more prone to issues like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, or Achilles pain.
The right walking shoes for overpronation are just one piece of the puzzle. Pair them with simple strength moves like single-leg balance, ankle inversions, and towel scrunches to help train your foot to roll inward less.
As noted EVERYONE has some pronation to their foot and this is a good thing. According to Podatrists, the average person should have about 15% or a little less pronation to their step.
10 Best Walking Shoes for Overpronation
Here’s our team’s suggestions for some traditional stability shoes and some that will help with walking overpronation, but won’t feel like they’re forcing a change to your stride.
Best Stability Walking Shoe- Asics Gel-Kayano 32
The Kayano continues to be a long-standing winner for our best of lists. It’s one of our favorite shoes because, regardless of your activity, it provides the support your foot needs.
At 32 iterations, the Asics Gel-Kayano is one of the longest running shoe models out there. And for good reason! It is an incredibly reliable, comfortable shoe that keeps going and going.
The 4D Guidance System provides stability, but more in a supportive way as opposed to being overcorrective. I noticed it more while walking in the instep and heel. When running it just felt supportive and natural.The FF BLAST PLUS cushioning feels dreamy. Plush without being mushy. While it has a high stack height, I didn’t feel it to be a max cushion.
The Asics Gel-Kayano 32 has also earned the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance. Which is awesome for anyone that has foot issues, or needs shoes for standing all day– making this a top pick for not just runners!
Best for Flat Feet- Skechers Arch Fit 2.0
Sketchers used 20 years of data to develop their Arch Fit insole system, and it provides firm and comfortable support to the medial arch. This helps realign your stride and reduce overpronation while in the show.
The stabilized arch and structured heel counter promote neutral foot positioning, and their responsible cushioning foams absorb shock and evenly distribute pressure. The design also reduces stress on your ankles, knees, and hips.The shoe also employs a rockered profile that helps rock your foot forward during those heel-to-toe transitions.
As a bonus, these shoes are lightweight and breathable, making them great options for long walks since they don’t feel too heavy. They’ve also wide enough to accommodate custom orthopedic inserts, if that’s something you need for other foot issues as well.
Best for a Max Cushion Feel- Saucony Hurricane 25
One of the softer shoes on our list and one that doesn’t often feel like a stability shoe, which we also like. If you need a lot of correction it won’t be the best option, but otherwise read on!
It’s super durable despite its cushion and comfort. Classified as a stability shoe, it’s not overly corrective, and will feel like heaven if you’re someone with sore or touchy joints.
It has a slight rocker that helps roll your foot straight forward, utilizing enhanced CenterPath Technology to help overpronation issues on the road.A lower ridge at the heel collar locks your heel in place and doesn’t rub, just adds more stability and support.
You’ll want to grab it day after day as you head out the door (or on the treadmill!) for your walks.
Best for Walking Workouts- Brooks Glycerin GTS 22
If you want some good cushion on the move, you will love this shoe. Its new DNA tuned foam is a great combination of durability and softness. Yet, very importantly it’s not too soft and the GTS version (go to stability) is going to have the guide rails that help keep your foot in better alignment with each step.
We love that the foam in this shoe is extremely durable. Overall it should last you for many walks and we’re all about that longevity! While it’s certainly cushioned, it’s not quite as soft as the Hurricane or Arahi, almost a bit more of a bouncy feel.
Best Everyday Shoe- Kuru Atom 2
If you hear Kuru and think “plantar fasciitis shoe,” you’re not alone.
But hold up, because in this case, orthopedic definitely doesn’t mean ugly. This shoe is sporty and cute, but is still supportive enough to leave you happy in them all day long – even if you’re always one your feet.
You could find yourself grabbing this shoe for a long walk, but also for travel days or endless days on the job.The Atom 2 combines KURUCLOUD+ Foam and their KURUSOLE to offer maximum support, which is just as important for correcting overpronation as it is for healing plantar fasciitis.
Their design focuses on the heel first, and their curved, cupping design gives you extra support, and even though the shoe is layered with foam, it doesn’t feel too soft. It will absorb just enough shock, and will hold your foot in place to prevent further injuries.
Best for Standing Long Hours- Hoka Arahi 8
Softer and more flexible than your usual stability shoe, the Hoka Arahi 8 maintains a solid sense of balance throughout the shoe while allowing for a smooth and comfortable ride. We’re a fan of stability shoes that don’t sacrifice cushion and that’s what you’ll find here.Hoka upgraded its support system in this new version, and the H-Frame stability technology is going to be a huge win for people who overpronate.
That’s because it shifted the support from just the medial side (inside) of the foot to both the medial and lateral sides. This keeps the shoe directly under the forefoot and the heel so it encourages neutral pronation.
Best for Wide Feet- New Balance Fresh Foam 860v14 Wide
New Balance is one of the best at making most shoes available in wide sizes and as a bonus we have long been fans of their Fresh Foam. It feels fantastic underfoot!
Another classic is the 860 from New Balance. It has a full-length medial wedge, which is an extra layer of firmer foam along the inner part of the arch of the shoe. It tilts your foot slightly outward, which is just the support an overpronator needs.The Fresh Foam X midsole also makes them comfortable and soft, in addition to being stable. The shoe is also fairly light for a stability shoe, and the overall affect is a shoe that’s just the right amount of firm.
The breathable mesh upper keeps your feet cool and secure, and did we mention the cushioning is second to none.
Best Casual Looking Stability Shoe – On Cloudflyer 5
The Cloudflyer 5 is one you’d think of when imagining a firm stability shoe designed to correct overpronation. If you stand all day or go on regular walks, this should help correct those pronation issues.
The On Cloudflyer is a traditional stability shoe with a firm feel to help correct overpronation.
It’s feels firm underfoot but it’s not at all uncomfortable. The wider base limits inward rotation as well, which can help overpronation, but also walkers with flexible arches.The Cloudflyer also employs a secure heel counter that locks your foot in place whether you’re standing or out for a walk.
- Weight: 8.8 oz Women’s, 10.6 oz Men’s
- Heel drop: 9 mm
- Stack height: 31 mm
- 5 colors available
- Not available in wide
- Available from on.com for $170
Best WideToe Box – Topo Aura
If your preference is the wider toe box design, the Topo Aura may check off most of your boxes if you over pronate.
There’s just enough cushion underfoot that it feels like max cushion, and it’s still a stable shoe. It’s a lot of shoe, but our testers swore it stays comfortable and cushioned despite the firm midsole.
There’s no heel slip or sinking into the foam, and you could walk for miles and miles in these things. The wider toe box just adds an extra layer of comfort after being out for a long time.Topo Aura’s offer light pronation support using their Y-Frame Guidance System, which is the technology behind this shoe’s smooth and stable ride. It’s not too firm, but the wider frame pieces on the sole give it a durable, supportive frame for all that luxurious foam.
- Heel toe drop: 5mm
- Weight: 9.1 oz women’s/10.9oz men’s
- Stack Height: 38mm
- Not available in wide
- Available in three colors for women and three colors for men
- Available at REI and RunningWarehouse.com for $165
- Read our full review of the Topo Aura here >>
Best for Hiking Trails- Altra Lone Peak 9
These are excellent shoes for trail walkers who need extra support for their overpronation, and with their excellent grip and comfortable fit, are just an all-around good pick for walking.
The medium cushion and updated EGO foam midsole makes it a lighter shoe that’s pretty responsive on the trail – though you will feel every rock that passes under your feet along the way.
These are zero-drop shoes, which might take some getting used to if you haven’t worn them before, but give them a try,
They’ll give you good support for your pronation while you decide whether or not they’re for you.
Reminder That Overpronation Needs More than A Shoe
Stability shoes can help if you know overpronation is an issue for you, but it’s always best to try to address issues like this with strengthening exercises first – or in addition – to supportive gear.
If your foot strike rolls too far inward or lacks mobility, you are more susceptible to injuries like plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, fallen arches, shin splints, runner’s knee, and more.
A good stability shoe can help you correct the problem in a few ways:
- Remember ankles and feet are meant to move some, so if you only pronate slightly, you may not need a stability shoe
- Stability shoes often feel firmer and less cushioned, and also heavier than shoes with more focus on comfort.
- Stability shoes are often over-recommended to runners who actually need to work on hip and glute strength.
- Try alternating a neutral shoe with a stability shoe when you are working on strength and moving away from a shoe correcting your imbalances.
Good supportive features help keep your foot in a neutral position, but for those with mild to moderate overpronation, stability shoes with this design are a great option.
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