Flat feet can be painful, especially if you're a frequent walker who is not wearing shoes that properly support your feet. Motion-control shoes work well for flat feet, because they help stabilize the foot and correct overpronation. A variety of construction elements combine to make motion-control shoes an effective option for those who suffer from flat feet.
Overpronation
Flat feet do not have a defined arch, and tend to roll inward when you walk. Motion-control shoes help correct this inward-rolling motion, known as overpronation, by stabilizing your foot and forcing it to roll forward instead of inward. Check the wear on your existing shoes to note if they are severely worn on the inner heel area, a sign of overpronation.
Lasts
The shape and construction of the shoe's last can help control and stabilize flat feet. The last is part of the shoe that helps determine the shoe's shape. Flat feet do best with a straight last, rather than a shape that is curved inward. Straight lasts help ensure your foot rolls forward instead of inward. Flat feet also do best with board-lasted shoes, or shoes that contain a stiff piece of fiberboard between your foot and the bottom of the shoe.
Heel Counter and Torsion Bar
Motion-control shoes have a rigid heel counter and a torsion bar to better stabilize your feet. The heel counter is the stiff area around the heel that helps keep your feet moving in a forward direction. The torsion bar, also called a medial post or roll bar, is a bar built into the shoe's heel area. The bar runs perpendicular to your foot and adds one more level of support to stop your feet from rolling inward when you walk.
Fit
A motion-control shoe won't help your feet unless you have a shoe with the proper fit. Shoes that don't fit properly can give you blisters on your heels and bruises on your toenails and make walking painful. The right-sized shoe will be snug around your entire foot, but not pinching or tight. It will also leave you enough room to wiggle your toes and about ½ inch of room between your big toe and the front of the shoe. When purchasing new walking shoes, go later in the day, when your feet are the most swollen, and wear the same type of sock you'll be wearing when you use the shoes to walk.
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