How to Tell if a Shoe Will Fit Your Orthotics Before You Buy

Buying shoes when you wear orthotics can be a frustrating experience. A shoe that looks perfect on the shelf may be completely incompatible with your insoles, and you often do not discover this until you have already committed to a purchase.

The rise of online shopping has made this worse. Without being able to physically test the shoe, you are relying on product descriptions that rarely mention orthotic compatibility. Returns are time-consuming, costly, and disheartening when you have already gone through the process of selecting a style you like.

The good news is that with a systematic approach, you can assess compatibility quickly and reliably, whether you are in a shop, browsing online, or looking at shoes you already own.

When you are in a shop, follow these five steps to assess whether a shoe will work with your orthotics:

1. Remove the insole: Try to pull out the factory insole. If it does not come out, walk away. A glued-in insole means there is no room for your orthotic and no way to create space.
2. Place your orthotic in the shoe: Drop your orthotic into the empty shoe. It should lie completely flat with no curling at the edges, no riding up the sides, and no overlapping the heel or toe area.
3. Put the shoe on and walk: With the orthotic in place, put the shoe on and take at least 20 steps. Your heel should feel firm and secure with no slipping. Your toes should not feel cramped or pushed together. There should be no pressure points on the top of the foot.
4. Squeeze the heel counter: With two fingers, squeeze the back of the shoe around the heel. It should resist firmly. A soft, collapsible heel counter will not hold your foot or orthotic in position.
5. Twist test: Hold the shoe at the toe and heel and twist gently. The midfoot area should resist twisting. A shoe that twists easily like a wet cloth offers no midfoot support and will allow your foot to roll over the orthotic.

If you have recently been prescribed orthotics and want to know which of your existing shoes will work, here is how to check:

• Remove the insole: If it will not come out, the shoe is unlikely to work unless it was already designed with extra depth.
• Measure internal depth: With the insole removed, use a ruler to measure the depth from the footbed to the top of the shoe at the deepest point (usually mid-foot). You need at least 15mm of depth to accommodate most orthotics.
• Squeeze test: Press down on the midsole area. If it feels very soft and compresses easily, the orthotic may bottom out and lose its corrective effect.
• Check for edge curling: Place your orthotic in the shoe and look down from above. If the edges of the orthotic curl upward against the sides of the shoe, the shoe is too narrow. This will cause discomfort and reduce the orthotic's effectiveness.

When shopping online, you cannot physically test the shoe, so you need to rely on product descriptions and specifications. Here is what to look for:

Positive indicators:

• "Removable insole" or "removable footbed": This is the single most important feature. If the listing mentions this, the shoe is worth considering.
• "Extra depth" or "deep fit": These terms indicate more internal volume, which means more room for an orthotic.
• "Orthotic friendly" or "orthotic compatible": Some brands now explicitly market shoes as suitable for orthotics.
• "Wide fit", "EEEE", "4E", or "6E": Wider shoes generally have more volume and are more likely to accommodate orthotics.

Be cautious of:

• "Cushioned insole" without any mention of removability: This often means a glued-in insole that you cannot replace.
• "Memory foam footbed": While comfortable, these are frequently fixed in place and add thickness that competes with your orthotic.

Several UK retailers and resources publish internal dimensions for their shoes, which can help you assess compatibility before ordering:

• Simply Feet: Specialises in comfort and orthotic-friendly footwear. Product listings often include internal depth measurements and width information.
• ShoeMed: Focuses on medical-grade footwear and provides detailed fitting guides with internal measurements for many of their products.
• Cosyfeet: Publishes comprehensive width and depth information for their extra-wide range, including measurements in millimetres.
• RunRepeat: For running shoes specifically, RunRepeat provides detailed measurements including internal width and toe box dimensions, based on independent lab testing.

When comparing measurements, remember that your orthotic has its own dimensions. Measure your orthotic's thickness at the heel, arch, and forefoot, then add these to your foot measurements to determine the total internal space you need.

Most orthotic users need to adjust their usual shoe size to accommodate the additional volume of the insole. As a general rule:

• Half a size up: The most common adjustment. The orthotic raises the foot inside the shoe, reducing toe clearance and overall volume.
• One width wider: If the shoe is available in multiple widths, go up one width. The orthotic takes up lateral space as well as vertical space.
• Both: For thicker accommodative orthotics, you may need both a half size and a width increase.

Your orthotist should advise on the specific sizing adjustments for your orthotic. If they have not, ask at your next appointment. This information is essential for successful shoe fitting.

Even experienced orthotic users make these errors. Avoiding them will save you money, time, and discomfort:

• Buying without removing the insole first: The single most common mistake. Always check that the factory insole comes out before making a purchase.
• Stacking the orthotic on top of the original insole: This doubles the insole thickness, raises the foot too high in the shoe, and creates heel slippage and instability. Always remove the factory insole before inserting your orthotic.
• Choosing narrow-toed styles: Pointed or tapered toe boxes compress the forefoot against the orthotic, causing pain and reducing the device's effectiveness.
• Opting for slip-ons: Shoes without laces or straps cannot be adjusted to hold the foot securely over the orthotic. Lace-up or Velcro-fastened shoes are almost always a better choice.
• Ignoring heel counter quality: A soft heel counter allows the foot to move independently of the orthotic, negating much of the corrective benefit.