8 best orthopaedic and comfortable shoes that won’t cramp your style

Most orthopaedic or supportive shoes have a removable insole, which enables you to insert your own shop-bought or custom-made orthotic - (The Independent)

You’re never too young to start paying attention to what you wear on your feet, and the best orthopaedic shoes can provide several benefits.

“It's unrealistic to expect that we’ll all start wearing orthopaedic shoes, but certain shoes can have a huge impact on foot health,” says consultant podiatric surgeon Mr Kaser Nazir from Jorja Healthcare Group. “Ill-fitting footwear can cause excessive pressure and compression on the toes, and this increases when wearing high heels, as your weight shifts towards the front of your foot. Uncomfortable shoes can also hinder the natural movement of the toes, which can weaken foot muscles.

Mr Nazir adds that other types of footwear, such as flip-flops are not good for the skeletal and muscular elements of the foot, with the lack of arch support and shock absorption often leading to problems such as plantar fasciitis as well as pain in the knees, hips, and back.

So, what should we be looking for in terms of a good shoe? “A toe area that is wide enough not to compress the toes,” says Mr Nazir. “Also, ample support to the feet and arches, for avoiding injury and pain. If you have a pre-existing foot condition such as bunions, hammertoe or hard skin and calluses or if you have diabetes or spend hours on your feet every day, it’s particularly important to choose comfortable, well-fitting footwear.”

If you’re keen to improve your footwear situation but fear for your style credentials, the good news is that supportive and comfy shoes have come a long way in the fashion stakes and no longer look clumpy and boring. Below, we’ve done the miles in a range of styles, from trainers to boots and sandals, to bring you our favourite top-rated designs.

How we tested

We considered everything from comfort to price during testing (Lisa Buckingham/The Independent)

We tested these shoes during long walks on different surfaces. We were looking for comfort (both underfoot and in the fit of the shoe), whether our toes could spread, how well the shoes stayed on our feet and whether each pair provided the support it claimed to. We also considered value for money before drawing up our final edit of favoured footwear.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

Lisa Buckingham is a journalist who has been contributing to IndyBest since 2019. Specialising in health and fitness, she has used her expertise to review a wide range of products, from running shoes and backpacks to free weights and climbing shoes. When it comes to orthopaedic shoes, she knows which brands you can trust for support and comfort.

The best orthopaedic and supportive shoes for 2025 are:

• Best for all-day stability – New Balance fresh foam X 860v14: £140, Newbalance.co.uk
• Best for everyday pottering – FitFlop relieff recovery slides: £50, Fitflop.com
• Best for off-road walking – Ecco MX W shoes: £67.20, Amazon.co.uk
• Best smart footwear – Calla Meredith loafers: £159, Callashoes.co.uk
• Best for those with reduced mobility – Skechers slip-ins arch fit arcade, forever cozy: £75, Sketchers.co.uk
• Best for cushioning – Hoka Clifton 10: £140, Hoka.com

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New Balance fresh foam X 860v14

Rating: 5/5

Best: For all-day stability

Sizes: UK 3-8

Functionality: Stability shoe with cushioning

Colours: White, purple

Why we love it

• A great all-rounder
• Helps prevent overpronating
• Good amount of cushioning

Take note

• Come up slightly small, so you may need to size up

Designed as a stability shoe, this style aims to help prevent you from overpronating (where the foot rolls inwards as you run or walk). For running, it’s a workhorse – great for everyday jogging with its stability and cushioning but you won’t win any prizes for speed. The ‘stability plane’ technology effectively stops your foot from rolling inwards and this latest pair has a wider base than its predecessor, the v13, and doesn’t narrow much in the middle, making it feel very stable.

The rocker profile gives these shoes good propulsion (Lisa Buckingham/The Independent)

However, we love them more for walking. The style is known for its cushioning, which it has in spades (more than the v13), especially in the forefoot. It has a slightly lower heel-to-toe drop than its predecessor (8mm down from 10mm) but we liked this change, as it encourages more of a mid-foot strike rather than at the heel. Meanwhile, the rocker profile gives these shoes good propulsion, too.

This pair has a relatively low profile, given how cushioned it is, which is good news if you don’t like the more pumped-up, maximal look of many current running shoes. This pair comes in wide and X-wide but we found the shoes come up slightly small, so, go half a size up from your street shoe size and go for the wide fit if you’re anything other than narrow.

Buy now £140.00, Newbalance.co.uk

FitFlop relieff recovery slides

Rating: 4/5

Best: Supportive slides

Sizes: UK 3-9

Functionality: Arch contour, triple density cushioning

Colours: Brown, white, beige, black, green, pink, plum

Why we love it

• Blissful cushioning
• Rocker shape makes this pair easy to walk in
• Good traction

Take note

• Not for narrower feet
• Limited arch support

Billed as recovery sandals that you can slip on after exercise or a day in heels, they certainly perform their function. The cushioning is firm at the heel, soft in the middle and medium at the toes, and it’s incredibly comfortable. Plus, the rocker shape makes this pair easy to walk in, so it’s no surprise that these shoes have the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance.

They’re made from EVA foam, making them waterproof, light to wear and easy to wash, and there’s good traction on the sole. The broad straps means the sandals hold securely to the foot, without making the foot muscles work hard, and the ventilation slots stop the shoes from becoming sticky and sweaty. The arch support is there but it’s not very high, which is something to keep in mind if you have high arches.

Perfect for wide, deep feet (you might wallow if yours are on the narrower, shallower side), these shoes come up ever so slightly on the larger side, so size down, if in doubt.

Buy now £50.00, Fitflop.com

Ecco MX W shoes

Rating: 4/5

Best: For off-road walking

Sizes: UK 2-9

Functionality: Waterproof, reflective ribbons, arch support

Colours: Grey

Why we love it

• Great arch support
• Lightweight

Take note

• On the narrow side

A waterproof trekking shoe with great traction on the sole, this design has a slight rocker shape, for smooth heel-to-toe transition. The insole is beautifully cushioned without feeling too cushy and the arch support is sublime. They’re on the narrower side, so may not suit those with wide feet. The construction is very comfortable and it’s a lightweight offering, compared with many trekking shoes.

Buy now £83.94, Amazon.co.uk

Calla Meredith loafers

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Smart footwear

Sizes: UK 3-9

Functionality: Stretch panel to accommodate bunions, cushioned and arch-supported insoles

Colours: Black, neutral

Why we love it

• High quality
• Stylish
• Comfortable

Take note

• Not for the widest of feet

If you have bunions and find smart shoes stiff, narrow and uncomfortable, this pair is a godsend. The shoes have a secret stretch panel that helps accommodate bunions, while soft, cushioned insoles support the arches. They were comfortable from the moment we slipped them on.

We’d wear these to the office or on a night out (Lisa Buckingham/The Independent)

They are expensive, but a worthwhile investment – handmade in Portugal with a leather upper, they’re extremely high quality, so they’ll last and last. The small 1in heel and gold horse bit detail elevate them to a perfect shoe for the office or an evening out.

They accommodate mild to large bunions and there’s a good range of sizes for women’s shoes – we found them to be true to size, too. The only caveat is that they’re not for the very widest of feet but the brand has other options if that’s your foot issue.

Buy now £159.00, Callashoes.co.uk

OOFOS women’s oocloog clog

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: For standing for long periods

Sizes: UK 5-12

Functionality: Arch support, high upper, rocker sole, ventilation holes

Colours: Black

Why we love it

• Incredibly comfortable
• Can stand for hours in them

Take note

• Not the most stylish

Designed for sports recovery, this clog is the epitome of comfort. The foot is cradled perfectly with superb arch support and the foam is like standing on clouds. Even though it doesn’t have a back strap, the upper comes high over the top of the foot, so there was no need for clawing of the toes to keep them on. A slight rocker sole makes for a smooth transition from heel to toe and they are ideal if you are standing for hours, as the foam holds its shape to reduce pressure through the foot and joints. Ventilation holes at the side stop them becoming too sweaty, too. We also liked wearing them around the house instead of slippers, especially after a run.

Buy now £75.00, Oofos.co.uk

Skechers slip-ins arch fit arcade, forever cozy

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: For those with reduced mobility

Sizes: UK 2-8

Functionality: Hands-free slip-in, arch support

Colours: Taupe, white, green, mauve

Why we love it

• Easy to put on
• Supportive

Take note

• Come up large, so you may need to size down

These clever trainers have a design that enables you to slide your feet in, without using your hands. They have the APMA Seal of Acceptance and are a great solution for people who struggle to bend over to get their shoes on or have difficulty tying laces – not just for older people, but those who may have hurt their back, have a cast on their arm or are pregnant. Slip-ons often look old-fashioned or unstylish, but this is a really nice-looking fashion trainer with a canvas upper.

This pair offers great arch support (Lisa Buckingham/The Independent)

Once on, they held securely to the foot when walking. They have a firm, supportive heel cup with a soft, padded pillow behind the Achilles and great arch support from the podiatrist-certified moulded insoles. They come up on the larger side, so we’d suggest going half a size down from your usual size.

Buy now £75.00, Sketchers.co.uk

Hoka Clifton 10

Rating: 5/5

Best: For cushioning

Sizes: UK 2-10

Functionality: Cushioning, rocker shape

Colours: Blue/white, black/rose gold, grey, blue, pale green, pale blue, white/pink/orange, black, black/white, pink, white/orange, cream, white

Why we love it

• Supremely comfortable
• Well cushioned

Take note

• Not for people who overpronate

This is a new update of one of Hoka’s bestsellers. It’s a neutral running shoe (it’s not for people who overpronate) that provides superb cushioning. It’s a fairly responsive shoe when you’re running and has the classic Hoka metarocker shape, so you feel like you can’t help but move forwards. This translates to also being a great trainer for walking and daily wear, and we really rate these shoes for this.

If you’ve previously found Hokas to be too narrow, you might have more luck with this pair, as the shoes are more capacious than previous designs (the style comes in regular and wide fits). The shoes also have a higher drop than previous versions, now 8mm, and we found they were true to our regular street shoe size.

If extra plush cushioning is what you’re after, the bondi 9 (£160, Hoka.com) is also a great option.

Buy now £140.00, Hoka.com

Vionic solana strappy platform sandal

Rating: 4/5

Best: For summer

Sizes: UK 3-9

Functionality: Contoured arch support, shock-absorbing cushioning

Colours: Black, silver

Why we love it

• Stylish
• Super-comfortable

Take note

• Little flexibility in the sole

This pair nails the chunky fisherman-style sandal trend and would be a great addition to your summer wardrobe, with the added benefit of a well-designed and comfortable footbed with contoured arch support that’s just right, ample cushioning and a sunken heel cup.

The sole has good non-slip traction (Lisa Buckingham/The Independent)

The upper is made of a super-soft leather with a well-concealed Velcro adjustment under the first strap for a perfect fit across the forefoot, and the ankle buckle is attached to an elasticated panel to provide some give at the ankle. The sole has good non-slip traction but little flexibility, which may not suit you if you like your shoes to bend with your foot.

Buy now £135.00, Vionicshoes.co.uk

The verdict: Orthopaedic and supportive shoes

We’ve found some fantastic orthopaedic shoes for different occasions. The New Balance 860v14 is an all-rounder of a shoe that you can wear all day, every day, thanks to its balanced cushioning and great arch support. It’s not too chunky and can just as easily be worn with jeans as it can with running gear. The FitFlop relieff recovery slides are a great choice if you’re wide-footed and want a casual, comfortable and cushioned sandal to potter around in at home or on holiday, while the Calla Meredith loafers are perfect for pairing with smarter outfits.

Heading out on a walk and need to stay hydrated? Read our guide to the best reusable water bottles