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Footwear for Knee Pain

Best Shoes for Knee Pain

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Posted 1 year ago

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Last updated: 12/10/2023

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by James McCormack

James McCormack
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Written by:
James McCormack – Lower Limb Specialist with over 10 years of experience treating and helping patients with Knee, Foot and Ankle injuries. James specialises in footwear and orthotics prescription, and alongside the content he produces on this website, he has a London-based clinic. 

While there can be numerous causes of knee pain, some of the most common causes of pain in your knee can be caused by a poor choice of footwear. We know that Runner’s Knee and IT Band syndrome can improve with supportive footwear, and most are running trainers. It is important to remember that most running trainers are just as effective for walking and day-to-day activities. We see a lot of patients with knee pain in our clinics, and we are using this article to provide you with the recommendations that we provide them when it comes to the best shoes for knee pain.

James McCormack is a Physical Therapist specialising in knee, foot & ankle injuries. www.james-mccormack.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Earnings from this are used to create free-to-read content without affecting the price of the shoes we recommend.

Best Shoes for Knee Pain

In our experience, the best shoes for knee pain have a cushioned, stable midsole with a rocker bottom. The cushioning helps absorb impact when walking and running and reduces the forces placed on your knee, while a rocker bottom shoe helps to enable a normal gait pattern. 

Best Shoes for Knee Pain for a Normal Arch Height

We recommend the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v13 shoes for Knee Pain due to their Fresh Foam X midsole and rocker sole.

The Fresh Foam X midsole provides stability and supportive cushioning that absorbs impact but doesn’t sink under your body weight.

The rocker sole facilitates a normal walking pattern facilitating the push-off phase to encourage knee extension.

Buy New Balance on Amazon

Best Shoes for Knee Pain for Mild Support

We recommend the Hoka Arahi 6 Shoes for Knee pain due to their medial arch support, J-Frame support and 5mm heel drop.

The medial arch support and J-Frame help stabilise the ankle and control excess pronation forces associated with IT Band Syndrome and Anterior Knee Pain.

The 5mm heel drop helps to provide an even distribution of force across the foot and knee.

Buy Hoka Arahi 6 on Amazon

Best Shoes for Knee Pain for High Support

We recommend the Asics Gel Kayano 29 shoes for knee pain due to their external heel counter, LyteTruss Technology and FF Blast+ cushioning.

The external heel counter and Lytetruss technology help guide your foot through the gait cycle while reducing excess pronation moments.

The FF Blast+ cushioning provides supportive cushioning while keeping the shoe lightweight.

Buy Asics Kayano on Amazon

Physiotherapy with James McCormack

This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack. He offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments weekly.

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