Insoles are something I know a lot about – just look at this site – and I have learned a lot about them over the years. Foot pain is something that I never want to deal with, but it seems like everyone will have foot pain at one point or another in their lives.
It’s not fun, but it is something that happens.
When walking is painful, it has a way of ruining all of the activities that you love. MindInsole is a product that I keep recommending to people, but there are a lot of different shoe inserts that you can choose from to end your foot pain.
And with 77% of people saying that they have experienced foot pain, very few people are going to the doctor to rectify the issue.
Insoles are the answer for many people.
The problem is that a lot of people have questions that they have no one to ask about their insoles.
What questions are people asking?
When you go to buy insoles, you may see sizes that are 7 – 9, and if you’re a size 8, then you’ll have a lot of excess insole available. This leaves a major problem for a lot of people because the insole can become bunched up in the shoe.
You don’t want to walk on an insole that is bunched up – it also hurts.
The ideal thing to do, and the vast majority of insoles will allow it, is to trim the insole. All you need to do is take a pair of scissors and start trimming the insoles properly. I recommend doing this little-by-little so that you don’t trim too much of the insole off.
A neat trick that I learned is to match up the insole to the bottom of your shoe.
This should give you a good indicator of where to cut. You’ll also find that there are lines on the insole that mark where you should be cutting based on your size shoe.
Note: There are custom shoe inserts that cost a lot of money and are made to form to your foot. While these inserts are often superb, they often cost a lot of money. Anyone that is opting to go with custom inserts will want to consider trying one of the pairs that we recommend as a cheaper alternative.
You’ll find that there are a range of sizes available, and the right size for you will be available. One thing I want to note is that half sizes will mean a lot, and if you have a half-inch space in your shoe, the insert will move around a lot.
Oftentimes, this moving will degrade some of the comfort and relief that the shoe insert is meant to offer.
You’ll be better off buying the size range that you need, so if they’re sold out, you may want to wait until the appropriate size is back in stock. If you don’t see a range but see an insole that says size 7 3/4, know that all of these 3/4-sized insoles cannot be trimmed down.
Yes. Doctors may not prescribe insoles, but as long as they don’t impact your normal gait or walking pattern or interfere with a foot orthotic, there’s no reason that you cannot try them for pain relief.
Insoles are sold over-the-counter for most foot-related issues.
What I will say is that if you have a specific medical condition, like those listed below, you may want to find an insole that is specific to your needs. You’ll find insoles that have been designed to help relieve pain associated with:
You can also find insoles that have been designed to work well with high-heels or insoles that are designed to work best for runners.
I do recommend a lot of general insoles that work great overall for all types of foot pain, but if you have a specific issue to tackle, ask the manufacturer of the insole if it will help if they don’t mention the condition specifically.
If you do a lot of research, you’ll find that insoles can be made of a lot of different materials. There’s a lot to know about insoles, and the materials that you’ll find most often are:
And each has their own benefit. The most recommended material is gel because it is long-lasting, and it also offers great support and pressure relief. It’s a great overall option for all foot-related issues.
Gel is great for shock absorption, so if you run or play sports, this may be a good option for you.
Cork is an interesting material because it offers additional support, but it also has a tad of cushioning that will allow for added foot comfort.
Leather is the final option, and it’s less supportive than other materials, but it is also one of the more comfortable materials for an insole. You may also find that there are a combination of materials offered, and these work well, too.
Your shoes have insoles in them already, but these insoles are often not as effective as other insoles. When you purchase full-length insoles, you should be removing the insoles in your shoes if they come out easily.
The reason is that the added height may make the shoe very tight when wearing both insoles at once.
If you have a partial insert, then keep your original insoles inside of the shoe. When in doubt, look at the instructions that come with your insoles. The manufacturer will often include instructions that tell you whether or not you should be removing the existing insoles.
I find that shoe inserts are far more comfortable when the original insert is removed because even one-fourth of an inch increase in thickness can make wearing your shoes very uncomfortable.
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My MindInsole was launched out of a passion for finding true, lasting pain relief. Did you know that 75% of the world’s population has foot pain of some kind? That’s a lot of people, and the footwear industry has done little to correct the issue.
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