People tend to spend a lot of time on foot, only to start feeling tired and experience painless leg sensations by the end of the day. Pain and sensitivity can become one’s regular companions if one wears uncomfortable shoes (like heels) during prolonged walks. Fortunately, you can now forget about such unpleasant issues once and for all due specialized insoles. Let’s discuss the specifics of choosing good insoles for walking all day.
Selecting a Proper Insole: Size Specifics
Don’t forget to remove the previous insoles when you put a new one in your shoes, otherwise, the double layer will cause the shoe to not fit you correctly and may also cause chaffing or shoe bites. Some of the most common types of insoles are full-feet-sized inserts made out of specialized materials (for instance, antimicrobial shoe inserts produced with the use of high-quality silicon). As a rule, their size is customizable (indicated with several numbers like 9-11 for male footwear) so that an owner could cut the insert down to the right size if need be (and if the insert doesn’t contain any internal fillers).
With a little bit of research, you can even find a shoe insert for standing all day that covers a half, third or ¾ of a foot. These should be selected according to the precise size of your feet. This type of insole is usually produced with a default irregular surface relief, which shouldn’t be disturbed with cutting (as it will lose the intended properties).
Paying Attention to the Level of Insole Roughness
When Choosing shoe inserts for standing all day, it is crucial to pay attention to the general format of a certain insert. There are, typically:
- Firm insoles that fully repeat the form of the shoe bottom.
- Semi-firm insoles that provide additional rest for feet.
- Insoles based on paddy materials.
- Soft insoles without any supporting features.
Firm and half-firm insoles are prevalently intended for people with a special form of feet (perhaps even with the irregular feet abilities). In particular, such insoles for standing or to use at your standing desk are quite often preferred by people suffering from plantar fasciosis, feet neurosis, and valgus-caused deformities.
Paddywhack-based insoles are best for people that really walk a lot and need to make their regular pair of shoes more comfortable and suitable for prolonged wearing. Such inserts are also recommended for people with blood flow circulation failures e.g., people with hyperemia or stasis or sugar diabetes.
Lastly, there are soft options which can help handle ‘narrower’ issues caused directly by fatigue or foot diseases and disabilities. Thus, they help resist sliding (to avoid feet chafing) or allow to narrow down space inside a shoe.
Materials used in the Insoles
Previously, the most commonplace materials for producing insoles were leather, cork, and felt. However, throughout the latter decade, the market has been taken over by synthetic materials, like silicon and latex froth. These allowed to expand the functional capabilities of insoles, bringing their cushioning properties to a whole new level.
Commonly used insoles
So, what are the best shoe inserts for standing all day? It all depends on your requirements and goals. Here are the three most popular types of shoe inserts.
- Orthoses. This type of insert is produced based on rough and semi-rough materials. They are, usually, manufactured in a turnkey manner for individual customers and their feet peculiarities. They also may contain various supporting elements that help fixate feet in a proper position. Frequently, such insoles are produced for one foot only to help out certain customers. Orthopedic solutions may also feature a built-in arched rest, which requires also selecting proper footwear to fit them. Keep in mind that you should purchase shoes that are 1-2 sizes bigger than your regular size to use orthopedic inserts. Lastly, remember that orthoses may chafe (especially, at the beginning), so buy thick socks and be prepared that it may take some time to get used to it.
- Arched cushions. This type of inserts amortizes feet. The main target audience here consists of professional runners and women that tend to wear heels all throughout the day. Oftentimes, such insoles are provided featuring a self-adhesive base to be reliably fixed to the bottom of shoes. These are great in relieving stressed feet and providing proper blood flow circulation.
- Flat insoles. Such insoles don’t feature any supporting elements. They can serve as a better replacement for default shoe inserts (e.g., if your pair of shoes is of slightly bigger size). These can be produced out of most various materials and are frequently used for winterizing shoes.
It's important to wear the right type of shoes while standing at your desk for a prolonged period of time Read our blog on How to get the most out of your standing desks for more tips on using a standing desk correctly and enjoying the benefits of a standing desk. Additionally, if you need the motivation to stand at your desk you can also read our blog on Ways to stay motivated to use your standing desk.
