Best Arch Support Shoes
Arches—we’ve all got ‘em, and yet somehow they couldn’t be more unique. Some people feel they never have enough arch support (we see you, high-arched friends!), while others seem to need more lift for their arches (hello, low-arched pals!). Still others have a neutral arch that’s somewhere in between.
No matter where you fall on the spectrum, you need high-quality arch-support shoes to offer a comfortable fit and lasting pain relief.
KURU offers some of the best arch-support shoes on the market. Each supportive and comfortable pair features our triple-threat tech: KURUCLOUD for cushion and shock-absorption, KURUSOLE for patented heel protection and dynamic flexing with each step, and ULTIMATE INSOLE for excellent arch support and all-day comfort.
Arch-support shoes for women and men are footwear that hugs and supports your arch for maximum comfort and pain relief. Typical shoes offer little to no arch support, leaving your feet having to work harder and absorb increased impact. Although walking on dirt or sand all day might not require us to need such supportive footwear, today’s hardwood, concrete, and tile floors and other hard surfaces leave us needing extra cushion and support.
The best walking shoes with support lift and protect your arch and plantar fascia, which is essential in helping prevent symptoms of plantar fasciitis.
KURU’s wide selection of stylish, cute shoes with arch support (athletic shoes and ankle boots alike!) allow you to stand all day on any surface without having to worry about your foot pain.
Arch Height: How To Tell If You Have High Arches or Flat Feet
Learn more about the various arch heights and how to properly care for your feet.
Our arches are the foundation of so much of our daily movement. They tend to fall into three main categories: low arches, neutral arches, and high arches.
To determine your arch height, try the at-home paper test:
Grab a clean white piece of paper and wet your foot in some water. Step your damp foot onto the paper and put your whole weight on that leg.
Step off to reveal your unique footprint.
A high arch will have only a thin line on the outer edge, while a low arch will show most of the sole of the foot on the paper. A neutral arch will be the happy medium in between.
Flat feet, or fallen arches, are more likely to experience pronation—also called overpronation—or the excessive rolling inward of the ankle. One great way to care for flat feet is by wearing highly cushioned shoes with enough arch support to help encourage a more neutral alignment.
High arches tend to be more prone to supination—also called underpronation—where the ankle rolls too far outward. You can care for high arches by wearing shoes with plenty of great arch support and a cushioned footbed to soften impact on the arch.
Neutral arches may be the least injury prone, but still need care. A gentle arch support with adequate cushion helps a neutral foot maintain a healthy stride and reduce the risk of injury.
Shoe Fit Tips
With these helpful recommendations from our KURU GURUs, buying a pair of well-fitted arch support shoes can be a breeze.
The right pair of arch-support shoes is sometimes (at least in part!) about finding the right size. Take a peek at guidelines on how to find the right fit at KURU.
In general, we recommend shoes should fit snug and secure around the forefoot without any tightness in the toes, heels, or bunion area. Your toes should lay flat and feel comfortable. You should be able to put a finger-width of length between the end of your toe and the edge of your shoe.
A Brannock device is an industry standard tool to determine your true shoe size. We recommend getting fitted at your local shoe store for the most accurate sizing, and never hesitate to reach out to a KURU GURU for tips on finding the fit for you!
Orthotics vs. KURU’s Built-In Technology
Orthotics, inserts, and heel lifts are common items used to offer support for your feet. how does KURU’s tech compare?
If you’ve ever felt the need to buy a more supportive insert after buying a pair of shoes (even a nice pair!), you’re in good company.
Even today’s leading brands don’t always offer the support our arches need for long-term pain relief. While aftermarket inserts and orthotics can help alleviate pain, they usually come at an added—often pricey—cost, and you may find yourself wanting to change them out between pairs.
KURU shoes are designed with high-quality arch support already built in. Our three-part tech is more than a simple insert. KURUCLOUD acts as our shock-absorbing base layer, KURUSOLE is our patented tech that cups your heels and allows them to dynamically flex, and ULTIMATE INSOLES are the cherry on top. These contoured, dual-density premium inserts provide superior arch support and long-lasting cushion.
While some individuals might have prescription needs for orthotics, inserts, or heel lifts, many of our customers tell us our three-part technology offers better support and stability than they expected. Many even find they don’t need to wear their custom orthotics with KURU shoes.
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Why do shoes need arch support?
Although walking on dirt or sand all day might not require us to need such supportive footwear, today’s hardwood, concrete, and tile floors and other hard surfaces leave us needing extra cushion and support.
Wearing arch-support shoes puts your feet in the best position to recover, prevent injury, and relieve pain. KURU’s men’s and women’s shoes with arch support give you Pain Relief Beyond Belief in styles you’ll love to wear.
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Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?
While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURU shoes with good arch support helped reduce or eliminate their pain—from plantar fasciitis to bunions.
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Can I use custom orthotics with KURU shoes?
Due to the anatomical shape of the KURUSOLE, custom orthotics with a rounded heel fit best inside our shoes. If the underside of the custom orthotic (the part that sits on the footbed) is squared off, then it may not fit into our deep heel cup—which is rounded like your foot.
That said, many of our customers tell us the KURUSOLE technology offers better support and stability than they expected, and that they don’t need to wear their custom orthotics with KURU shoes.
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I just received a pair of your shoes and my feet are sore/hurt after wearing them. Why is that?
Some customers experience tenderness when they first start wearing a new pair of KURUs. That’s ok! Your body may need time to adjust to the new levels of anatomical support you experience with our patented KURUSOLE technology. Our shoes are also designed to mold to your unique foot shape, which takes a bit of a break-in period.
To help mitigate this, we suggest you follow our break-in procedure, including wearing your KURUs for a couple hours per day around the house in the first couple of weeks as they break in and form to your foot.
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How is the arch support of KURU shoes?
KURU shoes deliver excellent arch support without the need for thick inserts or expensive, custom orthotics.
Superior arch support starts with our patented KURUSOLE technology, which delivers natural cushioning and dynamically hugs your heel with every step. Every foot is unique, and our ULTIMATE INSOLES adapt to fit your needs by using your own body heat to custom-mold to the shape of your feet over time.
The corrective nature of our superior arch support is designed to neutralize your weight distribution and place your foot in the best anatomical position. This support can take some getting used to. We suggest slowly breaking in your new shoes over the course of 2–3 weeks.
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Why You Don’t Need Orthotics with KURU
At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.
Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.
KURUSOLE
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. This superior …Show More
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. This superior support helps utilize our body’s natural cushioning system, the heel’s fat pad for comfort, support, and stability all day long.
…Show lessKURUCLOUD
Our KURUCLOUD midsole acts as a cushioned footbed to offer padding and shock absorption for the whole foot. This layer of lightweight …Show More
Our KURUCLOUD midsole acts as a cushioned footbed to offer padding and shock absorption for the whole foot. This layer of lightweight EVA foam helps absorb impact to your joints and bones and helps support every type of arch. You might even feel like you’re walking on clouds.
…Show lessULTIMATE INSOLE
The final layer in this technology trifecta, our ULTIMATE INSOLES feature premium arch support and cushion for the entire sole of your foot. Made of …Show More
The final layer in this technology trifecta, our ULTIMATE INSOLES feature premium arch support and cushion for the entire sole of your foot. Made of durable polyurethane foam, these insoles form to your feet and last longer, making KURUs some of the best shoes for arch support.
…Show less
KURUSOLE
Our patented KURUSOLE plate features a unique design that cups and protects the heel and allows for dynamic flexion with each step. This superior support helps utilize our body’s natural cushioning system, the heel’s fat pad for comfort, support, and stability all day long.
Fine, We’ll Tell You Our Secret
What makes KURU different? Every KURU shoe comes with built-in patented KURUSOLE tech—a foot health game changer.
While other shoes are flat on the inside, KURUSOLE is shaped like your foot to hug and prevent fatigue and pain.
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