Brands of Shoes With Removable Insoles for Orthotics

People with plantar fasciitis (as well as diabetics and those who suffer other foot pain conditions) may be prescribed rigid orthotic inserts by their podiatrists. There's one problem: many shoes have narrow profiles and low insteps and don't fit orthotics. Orthotics are thick; they tend to be at least 1/4" thick because they have an anatomical shape rather than the flat, thin profile of most shoe insoles. To meet the needs of these customers, there are special shoes built with removable footbeds so that orthotics can be added. To make this possible, this footwear tends to have:

• added depth to make room for the height of orthotics or the semi-rigid over-the-counter footbeds with arch support
• extra cushioning, to make up for the lack of cushioning in rigid orthotic insoles
• either a wide profile or sizes offered in wide widths, to accommodate a realistic range of foot widths
• insoles with decent arch support already included
• A neutral heel or low heel (1" or lower)
• A roomy toe box

Not all shoes with removable footbeds have all these features, but many do.  Not all are made by therapeutic shoe manufacturers, either - some brands are very familiar and you can find them in a mall shoe store.  The suitable styles range from "boy-that-looks-like-a-comfort-shoe" to "hey-I-could-wear-these-to-the-theater" styles. You won't find high heels (come on, you know you should avoid them, anyway), but if you dig around, you can find good-looking comfortable shoes that accommodate orthotics.

Of course, you probably already know that most hiking boots and athletic shoes have removable footbeds, including New Balance, Asics, and Saucony.  Where you may have problems is finding regular shoes to wear to work, for dressy occasions and for casual outings.

The following brands of shoes feature special models with added depth and removable footbeds to accommodate prescription orthotics.

• Drew
• Birkenstock Footprints Collection
• Aetrex (some shoes also have a modular remove-padding-where-you-like feature, like the Women's Eliza Lace-Up)
• Oasis
• Orthofeet (try these fisherman sandals for men or these comfy wrapover shoes for women)
• Timberland
• Propet
• KlasFit
• Naots (only some models)
• Dawgs
• Birki (especially their Professional clog)