10 Best Podiatrist Recommended Shoes for Supination or Underpronation

Welcome to our guide on the best shoes for supination or underpronation. 

Later on, we'll hear from Dr. Steve Gershman, DPM, who's got some helpful tips on dealing with supination. But for now, let's start with arguably the most interesting part: our shoe recommendations tailored specifically for supination.

What are the best shoes for supination or underpronation?

From firm lateral support to cushioned insoles, each recommendation aims to provide optimal comfort and stability for those with supinating feet.

Best running shoes for supination 

Women’s Kita | Men’s Yari

Why you’ll love it

• Uppers that move with your feet and contour to their unique shape
• Slip-resistant soles add a crucial element of stability

 

Specs

• Sizes: men 7-14 | women 5-12

• Widths: women Standard (B) - Extra Wide (2E) | men Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: stretch knit

• Available colors: Kita - white, black-black, black, blue, gray, rose | Yari - white, blue, black, gray

 

Despite their traditional lace closure, these sneakers revolutionize convenience. Thanks to a hidden spring mechanism at the back, slipping your foot in becomes easy, eliminating the hassle of tedious lace tying rituals and even the need to bend over. Simply slide your feet in and you're ready to roll.

Designed with a focus on aligning your feet with your overall body posture, these sneakers come complete with professionally cushioned and ergonomic orthotic insoles, complemented by premium arch support. This dynamic duo works wonders in easing foot pain and discomfort, providing a solid foundation for every step you take.

With a spacious toe box, the Kita and Yari ensure a snug fit without any pressure, accommodating your feet all day long. The dependable slip-resistant outsoles offer stability on any terrain, boosting both safety and confidence with every stride.

Wrapped in stretch knit uppers, both sneakers offer a tailored fit, embracing the unique contours of your feet while allowing for natural movement. This cozy hug delivers not only comfort but also firm support, effortlessly adapting to any swelling or protrusion.

And last but not least, the breathable upper material ensures continuous airflow, warding off infections and keeping unpleasant odors at bay.

Feedback from users

Kita

“WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?

I love my OrthoFeet shoes! I could not stand on my feet for more than an hour without being in pain. All my life I walked with supination, wearing down the outsides of my shoes. Because of that, comfort was always short-lived. I also dealt with flat feet, hammer toes on the left foot, high instep (especially on the right foot), narrow heels and wide feet. It had gotten to the point where I sometimes changed my shoes 3-4 times daily when needing to be active in order to stay on my feet. The supination made everything uncomfortable since the outside of the heel always wore down. In the past, whenever possible, I bought Sketchers for comfort. 

I finally gave in when having the chance to go on a trip overseas, to try a pair of the pull-on Kita sneakers from OrthoFeet. I kicked myself for not doing this years ago! Between using the arch supports and the comfortable inserts, I was able to walk over 2 miles shortly after getting them without tiring out. One day while canning, I spent the entire day of about 10 hours ON MY FEET without pain! Tired, yes...but foot-pain, NO! Needless to say, I bought a second pair :) Thanks OrthoFeet!”

Karen Schmidt

Yari

“My feet suffer from over supination (my feet roll outward), metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, high arches and advanced arthritis in my ankles.

First off, the hands-free feature of these shoes is legit. It works just like it should. I've always used my shoes like this to begin with, but that leaves the back of the shoe wrinkly, worn, and soft (which makes slipping them on more difficult). These shoes are totally hands-free and feel very sturdy. I've used them everyday for a month now.

I really appreciate that Orthofeet shoes come with spaces and high arch boosters. Most of us probably have custom orthotics, but while waiting for my new ones, I've been using the high arch booster with a spacer and these shoes feel great. There's plenty of room for my orthotics as well!

The most unique feature of this shoe, by far, is the wide toe box. I have wide feet, but they're not wide enough for typical Wide sized shoes, because my feet's width is pronounced in the ball of my foot, not the heel. …I got these [in] Medium…and they have been perfect. Snug around my heel, but it doesn't squeeze the life of the ball of my foot.

Johnny Sanabria

Best slippers for supination 

Women’s Charlotte

Why you’ll love it

• Anatomical arch support cradle the arch and aligns the foot
• Easily adjust the fit with the strap across the instep

 

Specs

• Sizes: 5-12
• Widths: Standard (B) - Extra Wide (2E)
• Upper materials: leather 
• Available colors: brown, black, taupe

 

While these shoes are designed for indoor wear, they feature premium orthotic insoles and anatomical arch support that take center stage, cradling the arch and realigning the foot to correct gait issues like supination. With each step, they minimize the effort required for walking, resulting in smoother and less painful strides, even while you’re home.

Furthermore, the wide toe box offers ample room for toes to stretch and move freely, ensuring a snug yet pressure-free fit for feet of all shapes and sizes. It effortlessly accommodates any swelling or protrusions, ensuring comfort throughout the day.

These slippers feature a specially crafted minimal rocker bottom sole, designed to significantly reduce heel impact and alleviate heel pain while diminishing foot and leg fatigue. Coupled with lightweight ergonomic soles and air cushioning at the heel, they provide a soft and supportive walking experience indoors.

To allow adjustability, the Charlotte slippers feature a wide strap across the instep, offering easy customization and a secure fit. In addition, the back lip at the heel adds convenience and provides extra protection for your heels.

And the cherry on top? The soft, padded faux fur interior keeps your feet luxuriously cozy and warm, adding an extra layer of comfort to these exceptional slippers.

Feedback from users

“Money Well Spent!

I have had a lifetime of issues with my feet, including bone deformity, supination, fractures and plantar fasciitis. These are the only slippers I have even had that actually help the plantar fasciitis and offer an overall reduction in foot pain. I wear them all day and have washed them several times and they continue to provide what I need.”

Dawn Gallagher

Men’s Vito

Why you’ll love it

• Insoles that actively realign your foot and entire body posture
• Soles that provide excellent surface grip and ensure stability

 

Specs

• Sizes: 7-14
• Widths: Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: leather
• Available colors: olive, black

 

Expect to slip into these slippers effortlessly, thanks to their patented slip-on system. With a built-in spring mechanism, they bounce back to secure a snug fit, eliminating the need for bending or struggling with your hands.

Once comfortably nestled in the Vito slippers, you can easily adjust the strap on the interior side for a personalized fit, ensuring maximum comfort tailored to your liking.

Another feature that sets the Vito slippers apart is their premium orthotic insoles with removable anatomical arch support. These insoles actively realign your foot and entire body posture, providing optimal support and helping to correct supination.

Now, let's talk about the sole. Lightweight yet sturdy, it features a mild rocker design that elevates your walking experience to a new level of ease. Not only does it soften impacts, but it also alleviates stress on your joints, making each step more comfortable.

Crafted from high-quality rubber, the soles provide excellent surface grip, ensuring stability and confidence with every stride. And let's not forget about the soft suede, water-repellent upper, which keeps your feet snug and dry, complemented by a cozy faux fur interior for added warmth and comfort.

Designed to alleviate pressure on sensitive areas, these slippers offer a non-binding fit that allows natural toe splaying. Plus, they're crafted to accommodate custom orthotics, ensuring personalized comfort for your unique needs.

Feedback from users

“Awesome as advertised!

My husband loves his Orthofeet shoes! It's hard to find slippers that provide arch and ankle support, but these shoes fit the bill. He loves that slip right on without having to use a shoehorn, too. Highly recommend Orthofeet!”

Karen Minton

Best boots for supination 

Women’s Siena

Why you’ll love it

• Cushioning sole creates a more natural and smoother gait
• Water-repellent leather uppers keep wetness at bay

 

Specs

• Sizes: 5-12
• Widths: Standard (B) - Extra Wide (2E)
• Upper materials: leather
• Available colors: taupe, black, brown

 

Let's take a walk in the Siena boots.

Picture yourself slipping into these boots effortlessly, thanks to the side zip and adjustable strap that ensure a snug yet flexible fit. Whether your feet are swollen or not, the wide toe box accommodates any fluctuations in size, providing comfort throughout the day and ankle support.

As you step inside, you'll immediately notice the padded, seam-free interior, designed to prevent irritation and envelop your feet in softness. No more worries about discomfort as you go about your day.

Now, let's talk about venturing outside. The water-repellent leather uppers keep wetness at bay, ensuring your feet stay dry and protected in any weather condition. Plus, the non-binding fit allows your feet the space they need to move naturally, without any restrictions.

Walking in the Siena boots feels like floating on air, thanks to the cushioning sole with a mild rocker design. This feature creates a more natural and smoother gait, making each step feel lighter and more effortless.

And when it comes to traction, you can trust the slip-resistant sole of the taupe version to keep you steady on various surfaces. Meanwhile, the black and brown versions feature a quality rubber sole with a unique tread design for improved stability and traction.

But let's not forget about style. The cozy and stylish faux fur detailing adds flair to your look, while also providing an extra layer of comfort and warmth. With the Siena boots, you can stay stylish and comfortable all day long, without compromising on functionality or ease of wear.

Feedback from users

“Nice looking. Keeps my feet stable. I supinate and [these boots] provide pain relief. I found the perfect shoe for me.”

Maria Gonzales

Men’s Hunter

Why you’ll love it

• Each element works together to realign the feet and body, ensuring a more natural gait
• Packed with orthopedic features, but feel very light on your feet

 

Specs

• Sizes: 7-14
• Widths: Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: leather and synthetic
• Available colors: olive, brown, black

 

Despite their lightweight construction, these boots pack a punch with orthopedic features aimed at providing optimal support and stability. From anatomical arch support to supportive cushioning in the sole, each element works together to realign your foot and body posture, ensuring a more natural and balanced gait.

The minimal heel drop reduces the need for excessive dorsiflexion during walking, making it easier to maintain a smooth stride. Meanwhile, the mild rocker bottom sole adds to the improved walking experience, making each step feel effortless and comfortable.

Designed for outdoor functionality, the rubber lug outsole offers exceptional traction and stability, making the Hunter boots suitable for a wide range of activities and terrains.

Crafted with soft, waterproof or water-resistant uppers, these boots keep your feet dry and comfortable even in challenging conditions. The seamless construction on the inside ensures a soft and irritation-free contact with the skin, while the padded heel collar offers extra cushioning for sensitive areas.

With their wide last design and extra depth, the Hunter boots provide a pressure-free fit, accommodating with ease various foot conditions, such as hammer toes, claw toes or swelling, and AFOs.

Feedback from users

“AWESOME!

I can't believe how comfortable these are right out of the box. No break-in needed.

I have supinated and very wide feet. These shoes make me walk normally again and pain free. Worth every penny and more. Don't hesitate to buy.”

Craig Swift

Best casual shoes for supination 

Women’s Joelle

• Orthotic insole distributes pressure, alleviating stress and correcting your gait
• Stretchable knitted uppers provide a customized fit

 

Specs

• Sizes: 5-12
• Widths: Standard (B) - Extra Wide (2E)
• Upper materials: stretch knit
• Available colors: gray, black

 

The Joelle story starts with a wide, round toe box, offering enough room for your feet to spread and move naturally. No more feeling cramped or constricted, just a comfortable environment for your feet to thrive in.

As you step into these shoes, the stretchable knitted uppers gently mold to the contours of your feet, providing a customized fit that moves harmoniously with you throughout the day. These uppers also allow for constant airflow, keeping your feet fresh and free from infections and odors.

Delving deeper, you'll discover the orthotic insole, meticulously designed to support your arches and heels. This powerful feature evenly distributes pressure, alleviating stress on your feet and correcting your gait, providing much needed relief for those dealing with supination.

As you continue your journey, the lightweight sole becomes your foot's ally, absorbing shocks and cushioning each step. With reduced impact on your feet, you can enjoy greater comfort and ease as you go about your day.

To complete this tale, a Velcro strap across the instep offers practicality and adaptability, ensuring a secure fit and allowing you to adjust as needed.

Feedback from users

“Bought these for my daughter who has high arches, which causes her difficulty sliding her feet into laced sneakers. The adjustable strap and stretch fabric make it easy for her to put them on. The wide toe box and supportive sole help with her underpronation (supination) and keep her better balanced on her feet, which has reduced her foot and back pain.”

Mary Lynne

Men’s Leo

Why you’ll love it

• Soft leather uppers and a wide toe box prevent squeezing
• Built-in, removable arch support promote optimal posture and stride

 

Specs

• Sizes: 7-14
• Widths: Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: soft leather
• Available colors: brown, black

 

With their good looks and durable, flexible leather upper, Leo ensures your walking comfort wherever you go. 

The roomy, padded interior with adjustable depth and anatomical arch support provides customizable and irritation-free support, tailored to your unique needs.

Step inside these shoes, and you'll experience a cushioned insole, mild rocker design and high-traction outsole, all working together to alleviate pressure on pain points and stabilize every step. 

The built-in anatomical, removable arch support not only enhances the shoes' appearance but also ensures proper alignment of your feet with the rest of your body, promoting optimal posture.

Crafted with soft leather uppers and a wide toe box, Leo prevents squeezing and allows your toes to spread naturally, preventing added pressure and potential foot damage.

With a rubber outsole, Leo keeps you stable and secure at all times, ensuring confidence with every step you take.

Feedback from users

“Purchased the Leo shoes due to having some plantar fasciitis, spinal alignment issues, and supination troubles. The arch support and cushioning of the Leo shoes has reduced my pain significantly. I even have some pain free days - which I am grateful for. Highly recommended.”

James Arbogast

Best sandals for supination 

Women’s Venice | Men’s Gemini

Why you’ll love it

• Cushioned from heel to toe to provide shock absorption for supinated feet
• Orthotic insoles that work like foot wizards, dynamically conforming to its contours

 

Specs

• Sizes: women 5-12; men 7-14
• Widths: women Standard (B) - Wide (D) | men Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: leather
• Available colors: Venice - blue, bone, brown | Gemini - black, brown

 

First off, let's talk about convenience. 

These orthopedic sandals feature a two-way strap system designed for ease of use. Opening the strap from the inner side creates a wide opening, allowing you to slip your feet in and out effortlessly. Adjusting the strap from the inner side is typically easier for most people, while the outer strap allows for fine-tuning the fit.

But that's not all - these sandals also come with additional adjustable straps. One at the back ensures your heels stay snugly in place, while the strap across the toe area provides extra love and support for your toes.

Now, let's shift our focus to comfort. The premium orthotic insoles in these sandals work like foot wizards, dynamically conforming to the contours of your feet as you walk. This helps spread pressure evenly and provides the customized support you need.

And let's not forget about the multiple foam layers in the insoles, offering top-notch cushioning from heel to toe. With a heel-to-toe drop and a toe spring that creates a mild rocker effect, walking feels effortless and comfortable in these sandals.

Feedback from users

Venice

“Best summer shoes I've ever had.

The insert is a game changer. Supination is a problem for me. These shoes have an insert that sets my alignment so I walk feeling stable.”

Diana Giombetti 

Gemini

“My husband has square feet and high arches. He's 8 1/2 6E (US). These are the first sandals - or any type of shoe - he's gotten that actually fit the length and width of his feet, plus supply the arch support he needs to be able to wear all day without hurting his feet and ankles.”

Dawn S Durall

Everything you need to know about supination

Before we delve into the world of supination, also known as underpronation, let's take a moment to discuss overpronation vs. underpronation.

"Supination is the opposite of pronation," explains Dr. Gershman in simple terms. "When supinating, the foot generally rolls outward, as opposed to the inward roll seen with pronation. Feet that supinate are far less common than those that pronate. Feet that consistently supinate throughout the gait cycle or remain supinated when standing (inverted or tipped out) are considered pathological or abnormal, as pronation is the norm in stance and gait."

According to Dr. Gershman, pronation allows for shock absorption and also allows the foot to compensate for uneven ground. Supination, on the other hand, robs the foot of shock absorption and the ability to handle uneven ground. “Generally, feet that are supinating are more rigid and have higher arches than feet that pronate,” he adds.

What type of shoes are best for supination?

“For feet that supinate, the shoes need to be firm on the lateral (outside) side to resist the tendency of the foot to roll out," explains Dr. Gershman, who also emphasizes other important design features:

• The heel counter needs to be very firm, as supination starts at the heel. 
• Deep, extra depth shoes are crucial, as supinating feet tend to have high arches and need the depth for stability. 
• The toe box area should be roomy, as the outside toes tend to be pushed against the inside of the toe box. 
• A cushioned insole is vital, as these feet lack shock absorption. In addition, an anti-supination device can be added to the insole as needed.

FAQ

Are neutral shoes good for supination?

“In general, yes,” Dr. Gershman asserts. . “A well made, solid, neutral last shoe is often the best option for supinators. Accommodations for specific foot types can then be made through different insoles.”

Do supinators need arch support?

“Often, yes,” explains Dr. Gershman. “If there is a high arch, which is common in supinators, arch support is useful to reduce pressure on the heel and ball of the foot, which can lead to pain and calluses. Arch supports fill in the high arch to distribute weight more evenly across the entire bottom of the foot. In addition, accommodations to the arch support can reduce supination.”

How do you reduce supination? 

"It depends on the cause of the supination," says Dr. Gershman.

"If the cause is just a rigid high arch foot, a well made shoe, as mentioned earlier, combined with a cushioned insole can help. You may want to try an anti-supination device that can be added to the insole and is very helpful.

"If the cause of supination is the very common plantarflexed first ray, then the insole becomes critical to accommodate this deformity. A plantarflexed first ray is where the bone behind the big toe sticks out further than the bones behind the lesser toes. If the sole is rigid, it forces the foot to supinate due to rigid ground forces pushing it up and over. If an accommodating insole is made, it can reduce the supination. A custom insole or orthotic is often required, as well as a deep shoe with removable insoles."

Why do I Supinate when I walk?

According to Dr. Gershman, “Usually, it is due to the structure of the foot. It can be from a rigid high arch foot or an abnormal rearfoot at the joint under the ankle, called the sub-talar joint, or from an abnormal forefoot structure with a plantarflexed first ray, where the bone behind the big toe sticks out, as explained above.

“In addition, shoes that are worn out, soft, and unstable can cause supination. Shoes that are worn out on the outside of the sole can cause supination, as can worn-out soft midsole materials. Replacing shoes often can reduce the chances of supination.”

Is supination bad for running?

“Not necessarily. The rigid foot can provide a good base to push off when running. However, there is a risk of shin splints and forefoot pain associated with supination,” Dr. Gershman warns.

“These types of feet are often prone to lateral ankle sprains from running, as the foot tends to roll out, and running exacerbates this. Uneven terrain adds to the issue and should be avoided.

“The best answer here is, it depends on the cause of the supination. If well made, stable shoes are worn with the proper insoles to accommodate the cause, then running can be okay,” he concludes.

Can tight shoes cause supination?

“YES!” Dr. Gershman responds unequivocally. "If the shoe is too tight, it often causes the foot to extend beyond the outsole, particularly on the lateral (outside) side, which can lead to or exacerbate supination. This outward rolling of the foot can be problematic. Therefore, it's crucial to have a roomy, well fitting toe box along with a deep or extra deep shoe to mitigate the risk of supination in feet that are prone to it."