Exercise trends come and go, but walking never goes out of style. In fact, it seems like walking gets more and more credit as being one of the best sources of exercise. All you need is your feet and a place to walk. Now, I'm sure there are people who go for walks barefoot, but that would not be me! I need shoes for sure and even more, I need good arch support solutions for my low arches and pronating feet. Although I have custom orthotics I got from my podiatrist, they are pricey. I'm always on the lookout for other arch support options and the most recent stop on my quest brought me to the PowerStep website and their Slenderfit 3/4 Insoles. I wanted to try insoles that would allow me to fit them into non-athletic shoes. My reality is, sometimes I need to spend time on my feet and I can't be in casual footwear. The tricky thing is that most sneakers allow you to remove the insoles. That is not always true for "nicer" shoes. These Slenderfit 3/4 inserts are thinner (about 1/4 in at the thickest point) and don't take up the whole insole space. They go just past the arch area of the shoe.
I tried the arch support inserts in three different shoes. My first were these Ann Klein flats. The insoles fit in easily and I was able to wear the shoes comfortably. I think the fact that the shoes are bit stretchy helped accommodate the inserts. I next tried them in these Ecco Short Boots. These boots have a removable insole that I needed to remove. And I will say it was really important that I could remove the insoles as I would not have had enough room for my foot otherwise. That said, my sports insoles absolutely would not allow my foot to fit, so this proves the benefits of thinner "dress shoe" arch support inserts. I wore both the flats and the boots for several hours over two days and was very comfortable and felt the extra support.
Another thing I'd like to mention is that we can also be proactive in battling our flat feet. There are excercises that are useful for strengthening muscles. I like the examples shown in this Healthline article. I am fortunate to live near the beach and am able to walk barefoot on the sand. I know many people don't have regular beach or sand access, but, if you are able to, consider the information and research shared in this article from PromHealth. It's always empowering when you can be proactive about your health.
I definitely recommend these PowerStep Slenderfit 3/4 Insoles. I'm also impressed that their website offers a variety of products, including footwear. I wear flip flops and slides quite a bit and I'm interested in trying theirs next. I also want to try their clog slippers. Ordering without trying isn't something to worry about as PowerStep has a 90-day guarantee. Check them out!
I am not compensated for links in this post.
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