The 6 Best Insoles for Running and Walking of 2025

Insoles can’t help you run faster. They can, however, make running and walking a more comfortable and supported experience, studies have shown.

Standing, walking, and running put a tremendous amount of wear and tear on your feet. Insoles are designed to reduce or distribute the impact on the striking foot and lower extremities to prevent injuries, as well as to protect the foot from landing stress, said Amol Bakre, a running coach and physical therapist at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center. Insoles can be of help when you’re recovering from ailments such as shin splints, turf toe, and plantar fasciitis. Or they can simply stop your feet from sliding around in your shoes or provide an extra layer of cushioning to prevent blisters by redistributing pressure more evenly across your foot. (Consult a medical professional if you experience persistent pain, discomfort, or swelling.)

Not everyone needs an insole, a point repeated by several experts we interviewed. For those who do, though, an insole can personalize the flat, two-dimensional shape of the inside of the shoe to the three-dimensional shape of the foot, creating a bridge between the two, said Victor Ornelas, senior director of vendor management at running retailer Fleet Feet.

Just as when you’re picking running shoes, choosing the right insole often involves trying several options. If you notice discomfort with your shoes and think an insole might help, one of the first things you should do is consult with an expert to see whether you have low arches, neutral arches, or high arches, and if you need insoles. Some people find a water test (PDF) to be helpful in identifying their arch type.

Just because you have a low or high arch doesn’t mean you need an insole, though. Applying excessive arch correction when it isn’t necessary has been shown to lead to increased risk of tendon overload and to cause weakness in the entire kinetic chain, Bakre noted.

Different insole brands and models put their own spin on how they balance the amount of cushion and support, referring to “Performance,” “Active,” and “Sport” cushioning in their names, but many of the experts we spoke to put little stock in such advertising buzzwords. “I think the different labels help the manufacturer more than the customer,” Bakre said.

Custom insoles are generally more expensive and usually best for extreme situations. If you need just a little extra cushioning or support, over-the-counter insoles should suffice. But if you’re regularly incurring running-related injuries, custom insoles may be a remedy, and they negate some of the sizing issues we encountered with over-the-counter insoles. “I like to compare it to eyeglasses—some people can go into the drugstore and buy their reading glasses from a shelf, yet other people need eyeglasses that are prescription,” said Lori Weisenfeld, a sports podiatrist.