Best Shoes for Metatarsalgia
He runs a biomechanical assessment clinic, advises on footwear and custom orthotics.
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This article will discuss the best shoes for metatarsalgia pain relief. We’ll explain what aspects of each shoe can provide metatarsalgia pain relief and provide you with our three-step guide to easing your pain. As a foot and ankle specialist, I’ve provided footwear advice to our patients for over 10 years.
James McCormack is a Physical Therapist specialising in knee, foot & ankle injuries. www.flawlessphysio.co.uk participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The money earned from this helps us to create free educational content.
Our YouTube video on Shoes for Metatarsalgia
Hoka Clifton 9 – Wide
So the first shoe that we’d recommend is the Hoka Clifton 9; as you can see, it’s got quite a thick midsole, it’s got a 4mm heel drop from the back to the front of the shoe, it’s got a nice responsive firm of cushioning, and it’s a super light shoe—the lightest of the 3 shoes that we recommend to you. The 4mm heel drop, so the difference from the back to the front, is really important if you have metatarsalgia pain; we don’t want a big tilt leaning you forward onto your forefoot as that’s likely to irritate your symptoms, so having a low drop shoe is best for Metatarsalgia as it distributes the force more evenly across your foot.
The responsive cushioning of the Clifton 9 means that when you walk or run, it gives you a little feedback to push you forward. This is helpful alongside the forefoot rocker, the tilt from the midfoot up to the forefoot. This helps you push through easily without extending the toes and irritating the metatarsal joints. Hoka offers both a normal width and a wider width shoe in the Clifton 9; this is helpful as reducing compression on the forefoot can alleviate your symptoms.
Asics Gel-Cumulus 26
The second shoe that we would recommend is the Asics Gel Cumulus 26. We like this shoe because it has plush cushioning, an 8mm heel drop, and a really wide base of support. Although it’s slightly heavier than the Clifton 9, it’s a super light shoe, considering how much cushioning it provides.
The 8mm heel drop is slightly bigger than that of the Clifton, but it makes up for it with its plush cushioning, which is so different from the responsive cushioning of the Clifton 9. This means that walking feels like walking on a cloud, as it’s nice, soft, and comfortable. This helps to absorb the vibration from the ground, helping to offload your forefoot and your metatarsalgia pain.
The Gel-Cumulus 26 comes with a nice wide base of support in its normal shoe, so you don’t need to worry about getting a different width of the shoe compared to the Clifton 9; this allows for the toes to spread offload in those affected joints. This is a good option if you’re looking for a comfortable walking and running shoe. It doesn’t give as much feedback and response as the Clifton 9, but most people will find it more comfortable.
New Balance Fresh Foam More V4
The third shoe I recommend is the New Balance Fresh Foam X more V4. We love this shoe. As you can see, it’s got one of the thickest midsoles on the market, so it’s super cushioned. It also has extra support on the inner aspect of the shoe, so it’s a little bit more stable than the other two shoes. As a compromise, it’s the heaviest of all two shoes, but it’s pretty light overall, considering its medial stability and support.
So this is a shoe for a person who feels like they don’t have as much foot control as they might like or they struggle to control pronation moments as they walk, or those of you that have a flatter foot, sometimes you feel like you may need a little bit more stability. The extra cushioning helps to absorb the force and vibration that comes up from the ground, and it has a slightly lower heel drop than the cumulus 26 at 5mm and just above the Clifton 9. So overall, it’s an excellent shoe if you want a little bit of extra stability and you’re looking for substantial cushioning that is a little bit heavier than the other two but provides that additional support.
- Shoes play a significant role in alleviating symptoms of metatarsalgia. The other three steps we’d recommend you take are metatarsalgia insoles. These insoles have a slight raise in the middle that helps to spread the shoe, and they work well inside a neutral shoe. So that would be the Clifton 9 or the Gel Cumulus 26.
- Our second advice is to carry out metatarsalgia exercises, which involve stretching and strengthening the foot and ankle joints.
- Another factor to consider is avoiding impact activities, especially anything that involves hopping, running, or jumping. When we do that, a lot of force is placed on our forefoot, and it’s likely to irritate our symptoms. It’s helpful to consider rowing, swimming, or cycling, as they are all non-impact activities that allow you to maintain your cardiovascular health without overloading the forefoot.
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James McCormack, a lower limb specialist who is an expert in treating foot conditions, wrote this article.
This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack if you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed in this article. James offers weekly online physiotherapy appointments and face-to-face appointments at his London clinic.
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We are specialists in treating foot conditions such as Metatarsalgia, and you can see one of our Foot and Ankle Specialists in our clinic in Soho.
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