Guide To Buying Arch Supports

1. There are three types of arches, namely medium arches, low arches, and high arches. To know your arch type:
2. Dip your feet into water and then step onto a brown paper bag or cardboard so that you can see your footprint.
3. If your footprint is half-way filled, with a noticeable curve along the arch, you have normal arches so arch supports that snugly hug your heels are best for you.
4. If you see your toes, heels, and ball of the foot without much in between, then you have high arches and should go arch supports with heel seats that relieve the pressure on the ball of your foot and heel.
5. If you see your whole foot without an inward curve along the middle, you have low arches (flat feet), in which case go for supports that provide a slight but supportive lift to your entire foot.

1. The insole should not just cater to the arch area but support the rest of the foot too.
2. They need to be lightweight so that they don’t weigh down your steps.
3. They need to be breathable enough to prevent any microbial infection and odor.

You need to choose the material based on how often and how you plan to use arch supports.

• Supports like gel-insoles might be prone to leaking or bursting but are comfortable as they adapt to the shape of your feet faster and prevent odor.
• Regular insoles made of rubber and cloth blends are more durable and effortless to clean. Rubber insoles also are more affordable than gel insoles.