7 Best Running Shoes For Orthotics in 2026

How we test running shoes for orthotics

We don’t just randomly choose the orthotic-friendly running shoes we put on this list. Here's how our process looks like behind the scenes: 

• Buying running shoes with our own money. We do this to avoid brand loyalty and bias.
• Logging lots of test runs. 
• We remove the insole when possible and make sure to note if it's not possible to do that without damaging the insole or the bottom. 
• Slicing the shoes into pieces. We hate working in the dark. We unravel all the elements present in the shoes.
• We use our tools like a calliper, durometer, and Dremel to accurately describe each shoe with 20+ data points. We also note the thickness of the insole and how fancy or cheap it is. 

Intro: what you should know about orthotics and running shoes

If fitting an orthotic into the shoe was easy, we wouldn’t still be seeing so many questions about which shoes can actually be used with orthotics. Because of this, we cover both scenarios: using full-length orthotics and short (heel only or ¾ length) inserts. 

When looking at running shoes to use with your orthotics, it’s important to take into account:

1. What the orthotic is for, as this will tell you whether it can be placed inside neutral or stability shoes, whether the shoes need to be stiffer or firmer, and so on. The easiest route: the same specialist who prescribed the orthotics also recommends running shoe choices.
2. The thickness and the design of the orthotic. You can compare its thickness to that of the insole you’re swapping it with, and pay attention to the heel counter shape and stiffness to make sure your heels get locked in place together with the orthotics.
3. In most cases, orthotics are not used in barefoot or minimalist running shoes, as they offer minimal to no stability and support. 

As you can see, it’s not just about swapping these. Orthotics may change the heel drop; they can work against the shoe, or they can make the shoe too tight at the toebox, at the instep, or at the heel.

It’s also important that you actually need the orthotics, meaning you’ve seen a specialist who has prescribed them to you. There’s a lot of wiggle room when it comes to orthotics, even in the scientific literature:

• Whittaker et al. 2018 reviewed 19 trials with 1,660 participants and found moderate-quality evidence that orthoses beat sham devices when it comes to heel pain and looking at the 7-12 week-long use. 
• Rasenberg et al. 2018, however, reviewed 20 trials and concluded orthoses were ineffective for plantar heel pain.  
• Tran and Spry 2023 looked at adults with plantar heel pain using custom-made and prefabricated orthoses. They found no difference in pain reduction or functional improvement in the 6 weeks to 12 months period. 
• And, looking and 24 runners who ran 20 minutes in both custom-made and prefabricated orthoses, Gil-Calvo et al. 2020 found no significant differences: healthy runners kept their movement patterns regardless of the orthosis type.

Fitting full-length orthotics into running shoes: 5 features to pay attention to

The obvious first rule is: the shoe has to have a removable insole. Running shoes usually can’t brag about their toebox height and fitting an orthotic on top of the existing insole would make the shoes simply unusable, in most cases. But, it’s not just about the toebox height. Let’s have a look: 

1. The insole has to be removable (and not glued to the midsole). 
2. We recommend running shoes with at least 29.0 mm of toebox height without the insole. In our lab, this means that we combine 2 tests: toebox height (measured while the insole is inside) and insole thickness. 
3. In order to keep the orthotic in place, the heel counter must not be fully flexible. We recommend heel counters that scored at least 2/5 on our stiffness test. 
4. Midsole softness is important because when running shoes are too soft, you may struggle with the orthotics.
5. Arch support is often the topic, but most people are concerned about the contoured rise (bump) under the arch. If the orthotic has it, it does not mean that the shoe does too. Stability running shoes have many other stabilising elements for overpronators. This is usually something that your specialist would pay attention to.

Because orthotics can be used for different foot conditions, they can be placed in daily trainers, but also tempo and even super shoes; they can be used in neutral and stability running shoes. But you need to understand the purpose of the orthotic and the shoe to make sure they will go together well. 

And, the best thing to do is to check your running shoe options with your specialist of choice. 

Removable insoles: a must

In our lab, we always check whether the insole is removable and we publish this finding in the reviews. This is often not enough to determine whether an orthotic will fit properly into the running shoes.

Toebox height: lab data 

We created a special gel formula which allows us to pour liquid into the shoes, freeze them together, and then take out a gel cast which perfectly represents the shoes’ interiors. 

VIDEO gel

We cut the cast in half lengthwise, just like we cut the shoes when we need to measure the stack heights. Then, we use a digital calliper to measure the toebox height. 

IMAGE toebox height

Measuring the toebox height: this height excludes insole thickness

Because we pour the liquid into the shoes while they still have their insoles in, now we need to add the insole thickness to the toebox height measurement. 

IMAGE insole thickness, add a collage 

For orthotics, we recommend running shoes which have at least 29.0 mm of vertical room in the toebox without the insole. Keep in mind that the average insole thickness in road running shoes is 4.4 mm and in trail running shoes it sits at 4.6 mm. Jackson et al. 2025 looked at 1,000 custom orthotic precriptions and found that 3 mm was the most common shell thickness (54%). 

IMAGE in photoshop, mark what we’re recommending

Heel issues: locking the orthotic in place

When you swap the insole with your orthotic, what’s stopping it from wiggling around? Or even slipping vertically, together with your heel? The heel counter. Given that the orthotics usually have a different shape at the heel than the insoles, and may make your heels sit higher, it’s important for them to be properly locked in place. A cup-shaped heel counter that’s rather stiff can do this. 

VIDEO

In our lab, we push and squeeze the heel counter to assess its stiffness and then rank it on a 1-5 scale. 5/5 is the stiffest option and 1/5 the most flexible one. We recommend skipping 1/5 heel counters and going with a stiffness of at least 2/5. 

IMAGE shapes of heel counters

When it comes to heel counter shapes, avoiding a heel flare may help, and opting for something more cup-like. 

IMAGE sidewalls

We also recommend paying attention to the height of the sidewalls, especially if your orthotic is significantly thicker at the heel than the insole you’re replacing. 

Heel drop changes in running shoes for orthotics

If you need to use orthotics, you’re most likely dealing with some foot condition or issue that needs attention. It’s when heel-to-toe drop might be relevant too. So your heel may be sitting higher with no lockdown issues, but with other consequences. 

iMAGE heel drop

It’s important to compare the thickness of the insole you’re taking out with the orthotics you are putting in, because the orthotics may change the heel to toe drop of the shoes if their heel is significantly thicker than the forefoot. 

A higher heel drop will utilise your higher-leg muscles more, while a lower one will put more stress on your feet, Achilles, and calves. Depending on your foot condition, this is something not to be taken lightly. We’ve covered this topic in great detail here: Heel to Toe Drop: The Ultimate Guide. 

Midsole softness for orthotics: when softer is not better

Very soft midsoles can also be very unstable. This is especially inconvenient when the orthotic is trying to stabilise your foot or help with overpronation, but it can’t because its platform is not adequate. 

IMAGE midsole softness

Based on our lab data, midsoles are tagged as soft when they score lower than 33 AC on the durometer test. When they are in the 33-42 AC range, we consider them moderately soft, and higher than 42 AC, firm. If your orthotics are meant to provide stability and you choose very soft shoes, the result may be very disappointing. 

VIDEO curb 

To be on the safe side, you may want to consider running shoes whose midsoles score at least 33 AC on the durometer.

Arch support and running shoes for orthotics

In theory, using orthotics with contours that resist the flattening of the arches may lead to discomfort and over-correcting if the shoe offers a traditional aggressive medial post. But, stability running shoes usually come with other technologies that help with overpronation, like side walls, stiff heel counters and heel clips, dual-density midsole foams, and so on. 

So, this can be an issue, but the better question is whether the shoe itself is good for the orthotics. There are neutral running shoes that may offer a better combination of platform width, firmness, and heel counter stiffness for you than the stability ones. 

4 signs the orthotics are not a good match for the running shoes of your choice

Once you’ve removed the default insole and inserted your orthotics, things may feel weird: 

1. If your toes are too squished, from the sides or the top, the toebox vertical clearance is not good enough. You need a higher toebox overall. 
2. If your heel is sitting too high now, it may feel like the shoe is not cradling your heel anymore, or as if your feet may spill over the sidewalls. Heel slipping is common too. In this case, the walls around the heel are too low for the given orthotic. It also doesn't help when the heel counter isn't stiff enough and isn't shaped to lock your heel in place.
3. High pressure over the instep. This means that the orthotic is too thick for the shoe (most likely much thicker than the insole you took out) and now the shoe can’t accommodate your foot properly. 
4. The orthotic is not locked in place, or it feels like it’s working against you. This may happen if the midsole is too soft, if the shoe is simply too flexible (longitudinally or torsionally), or if it has corrective features that are messing up the orthotic’s work. 

VIDEO heel slipping i fwe have it

Using partial orthotics in running shoes

Compared to the full-length orthotics, there’s 1 difference, and you can read that in bullet 1 or 2 below: 

1. If your orthotics are sulcus length, they end just proximal to the toes, so you still have to take into account everything, as if they were full length. The toebox height still matters even though the orthotics don’t reach the tip of the shoe. 
2. When it comes to partial orthotics, like 3/4 length or heel only, you do have 1 worry less: the toebox height.
3. Is the heel counter stiff enough? Shaped well to keep the orthotic and your heel in place?
4. Are the sidewalls high enough after you’ve swapped the insole with the orthotic? 
5. Is the orthotic changing heel-to-toe drop and are you ready for that?
6. Is the shoe working well with the orthotic (and not severely messing with its purpose)? 
7. Is the platform supportive enough (firm/rigid) to allow the orthotic to do its job?

We’ve already covered all the bullets above when discussing full-length orthotics.

Supershoes and orthotics

There’s no rule saying you can’t use orthotics in super shoes. However, you need to be familiar with 

1. What the orthotics are supposed to do 
2. What the shoe is like and whether that will play along or against the orthotic’s purpose

Keep in mind that super shoes are often very stiff and that may not work well with your orthotics. The average stiffness of road running shoes is 15.5N, while super shoes don’t score below 17.0N, with some reaching as high as 28.4N.

If, however, you're considering super trainers, we've got you covered.