Are you on the hunt for the best shoes for working out? We’re here to help make your search simply by providing you with a guide on how to find the best shoes for working out and why it’s important to choose the right shoes for working out. We know it can be tough to find reliable information outside of the foot health industry and we want to eliminate the need for you to search through the internet with unease about what information you can trust and what information you should discard. We’ve done the work so that you don’t have to and have compiled the information you need to know to find good support shoes to wear while exercises. We’ll break down the supportive features you need to look for to make sure you get the best athletic shoes, arch support, and comfort you can. If you suffer from foot problems, we’ve broken down the most vital elements you need and shoes for you, such as the best athletic shoes for plantar fasciitis. With our guide to active shoes, we hope to give you the knowledge you need to feel unstoppable and prepared when searching for gym shoes, because that’s how it should be! Finding new shoes should be a fun experience and we hope we can help make your search for the perfect shoes for working out simple and enjoyable.

We not only want to help you find the best shoes for working out and educate you on why choosing the right shoe matters, we have earned a place in the industry as a trusted resource that has foot doctors, research teams, and shoe stylists so that you can always find footwear that provides you with the support you need in the styles you love. Along the way, we’ll walk you through why it’s important to choose the right workout shoes, how to choose the best shoes for working out, and how to find work out shoes for plantar fasciitis.

Why It’s Important to Choose the Right Workout Shoes

Before we walk through how to find the best shoes for working out, we want to first dive into why it’s important to choose the right workout shoes. No matter what type of workout you are participating in, choosing the right workout shoes is vital to keeping your feet comfortable and healthy. By wearing shoes that are unsupportive or inappropriate for the workout you are doing, you open yourself up to the risk of derailing your fitness regime due to discomfort, pain, foot problems, injury, or all of the above. To make sure you have a comfortable fit and effective experience exercising, it’s always important to have shoes that are supportive, cushioned, and designed specifically to align with your body.

You may be wondering, “What are some of the consequences that could happen if I don’t wear the right workout shoes?” We touched on a few of the possible ramifications above at a high level, but it’s worth diving into a bit more so that you know the full scope of the consequences that could occur from wearing improper shoes while you’re working out. Wearing improper footwear while you workout can cause a number of different injuries and foot problems that you may not be aware of. Potential injuries that could occur include ankle sprains and fractures, bunions and corns, metatarsalgia, and exacerbating existing conditions, such as plantar fasciitis. Any of these potential consequences could result in both pain and discomfort and alter the activities and low and high-intensity workouts you are able to participate in, including anything from weight training, strength training, and metcon training, to walking on the treadmill or rope climbs.  We know that’s the last thing you want, which is why it’s so vital to choose the best shoes for working out that have the support you need. Now that you know what’s at stake, we want to introduce you to how to find the best shoes for working out.

How to Find the Best Orthopedic Shoes for Working out: What to Look For

We know it can be intimidating to go searching for active sneakers without knowing exactly what you need to be looking for, which is how so many of us end up in work out shoes that don’t give us the support nor flexibility we need. We want to make sure you have the information you need to find the perfect pair of work out shoes that will provide you with the all-day comfort, durability, breathable, comfortable, and secure fit you deserve, which is why we compiled our top tips for making sure you find the best supportive workout shoes. Below are our recommendations on how to find the best shoes for working out and what you need to be looking for during your search.

• Choose By Primary Activity: When you’re looking for shoes for exercising, it’s important to first narrow your search to the types of shoes that are specifically designed for the activities that you most often engage in. Shoes are designed differently depending on the activity they are made for, so it’s important to choose shoes that align with what you love doing. For example, if you love going for a long walk with your furry friend each day after work, your search should be narrowed down to walking shoes. This is always a great place to start in your pursuit of the best workout shoes.
• Always Check The Fit: One of the most important aspects of any pair of footwear, especially shoes for working out, is whether or not they fit your foot correctly. Many individuals develop foot problems from wearing shoes that don’t fit properly and this can be easily avoided. When you’re looking for work out shoes, be sure to wear sports socks to try them on with. When you’re standing up, there should be about a half an inch between the tip of the shoe and your big toe and you should be able to easily wiggle your toes. Keep in mind that your shoe size can vary throughout your life due to many different variables, so it’s best to get sized every time you purchase a new pair of shoes to make sure they fit correctly.
• Look for Arch Support: The arch is one of the most important structural elements of your feet and improper arch support can lead to the development of a number of different foot problems, as well as arch pain, foot pain, discomfort, and reduced stability and balance. These are just a few of the potential consequences of not having proper arch support, particularly in shoes for working out. If you’re suffering from plantar fasciitis, arch support is absolutely mandatory in shoes for working out or else your plantar fascia can become more irritated and inflamed, leading to greater discomfort and pain. When you’re searching for the best shoes for working out, including how to find work out shoes for plantar fasciitis,  always make sure they have arch support.
• Check the Footbed: The footbed is the part of the shoe your foot will connect with the most while you wear them and is a vital part of any shoe for working out. When you’re looking at work out shoes, check the footbed to make sure it has built-in supportive features that will align your body from the ground up. When your body is improperly aligned, a cascade of consequences can cause a collapse in your foot, knee, and leg, which can result in a serious impact on your ability to work out and exercise. What you’re looking for is a biomechanical footbed that provides support and promotes your natural alignment from the ground up.
• Never Compromise on Cushioning: If you’re going to be working out, you will likely be exerting greater pressure on your feet. This is where supportive features like arch support and heel and foot cushioning come in to help absorb this weight pressure, provide shock absorption, and make sure that your foot doesn’t suffer the adverse consequences that can come from an unsupported foot enduring increased shock. Cushioning will make your active sneakers feel like clouds, even when you’re on mile five. We recommend that you never compromise on the cushioning as you’ll experience less comfort.
• Find a Style You Love: When you’ve ticked all the boxes for the main supportive features you need, the next step is to make sure you’re choosing a work out shoe that fits your personal style and that you will feel comfortable wearing in your day-to-day life. If you choose a shoe with all of the supportive features in the world but don’t feel comfortable wearing it, then it is useless. To avoid that, make sure that you are getting all of the support your feet need in a style that will complement your wardrobe so that you’re getting the best of both worlds.

Now that we’ve introduced you to our top tips for finding the best shoes for working out for your unique needs, we want to show you a few of our favorite shoes for working out.

Our Top Picks: The Best Shoes for Working Out

With so many different types and styles of workout shoes available, we know it can be hard to narrow down the list. We’ve selected a few of our top picks of the best shoes for working out to help kickstart your search and get you one step closer to your next work out. Below are a handful of our favorite shoes for working out broken down by both men’s and women’s styles.

Women’s Shoes

• Walker Classic: Are you someone who loves to go for long walks whether it’s around your neighborhood or out in nature? Our Walker Classic may be the perfect exercise sneaker for you. These active sneakers are designed to keep you moving step after step with maximum comfort. They walker shoe features our Active Motion System (AMS) technology and our podiatrist-designed orthotic to make sure they’re perfect for work, play, and every day. With a variety of colors to choose from, you’re sure to find a pair you’ll love!
• Alaina Active Sneaker: If you’re looking for shoes to complement your active lifestyle, the Alaina active sneakers are made in cool colors with contracting bright pops to keep pace with you no matter where you’re going. Made with a durable rubber outsole for buoyant movement and with bungee laces for adjustability over its neoprene and knit exterior, these active sneakers will be your new favorite shoes for working out.

Men’s Sneakers

• Turner Active Sneaker: Are you looking for the perfect blend of technical features? The Turner sneaker is made with a heather mesh upper and a high-performance outsole with rubber tread to add traction to this comfortable and resilient sneaker. With several color combinations to choose from, this active sneaker will make sure you can work out comfortable while still maintaining your style.
• Revive Active Sneaker: if you want a lightweight shoe that is able to keep you moving at your swift pace, the Revive active sneaker has a low-profile athletic sole to deliver exactly what you’re looking for. Made with a supple, perforated leather or suede upper, this active sneaker is both stylish and functional.

These are just a few of our favorite styles of active sneakers for men and women. For more comfortable shoes for working out, take a look at all of the styles of active and casual sneakers we have designed to find your perfect fit. In every pair of Vionic shoes, you’ll get cutting-edge supportive technology to keep your feet comfortable no matter what exercise you’re doing. Vionic shoe’s science-backed innovative roots have seamlessly combines pioneering biomechanics technology, fashion-forward style, and high-quality materials to deliver stylish shoes for working out that will give you 24/7 support. We’ve made it our mission to make sure that you can have shoes for working out that are sensitive to the needs of your feet without detracting from your personal style.