Orthotic Friendly Shoes for Women
Give your feet the support they need without giving up on style. Every shoe in this section has a removable insole, so you can lift out the factory footbed and drop in your own orthotic or prescription insole. You'll find everything here from trainers and loafers to ankle boots and Chelsea boots, across brands including Rieker, Gabor, Ara, Caprice, Marco Tozzi and Another Trend.
What makes a shoe orthotic friendly?
The short answer is that the insole has to come out. Most shoes have the footbed glued down, which leaves nowhere for an orthotic to sit — you end up with a shoe that's too shallow, and your foot pushed up out of it. A removable insole gives you back the depth your orthotic takes up, so the shoe still fits properly with it in. Depth through the toe box helps too, which is why so many of the styles here are trainers, loafers and boots rather than court shoes.
Will my orthotic fit in these shoes?
We'd be doing you no favours by promising it will. Orthotics vary enormously — a slim over-the-counter insole and a rigid custom-made device need very different amounts of room — and shoes vary just as much in the volume they have to give. A removable insole makes a shoe a realistic candidate for your orthotic. It doesn't guarantee the two will work together.
In practice, finding the right pair is often a bit of trial and error, and that's much easier done with the shoes in front of you. If you can, call into the shop in Skerries with your orthotic and our team will try it in a few styles with you — you'll know in ten minutes what would otherwise take a couple of orders and returns. If you can't get to us, order a style you like, try the orthotic in it at home on carpet, and send it back free within 30 days if it doesn't work. We'd rather you did that than settle for something that isn't right.
Do I need to go up a size?
Usually not. Because the orthotic replaces the insole rather than sitting on top of it, the length you need generally stays the same. Going up a size to make room is a common mistake and tends to leave the shoe too long, which causes its own problems with the heel slipping. If the fit feels tight with the orthotic in, the answer is more often a wider fitting rather than a longer shoe — our size guide explains the different fittings.
Which brands are best for orthotics?
Rieker, Ara and Gabor are the ones we reach for most often, because the removable footbed runs across a good part of their ranges rather than appearing on the odd style. Marco Tozzi build their Feel Me footbed to be interchangeable as standard. If you also need a specific width fitting, Jana is made on an H fit last throughout, and Waldlaufer go wider again.
Still not sure?
We're always happy to help. Call us on 01 8490847, or call into the shop in Skerries where our team can look at your orthotic alongside the shoe. If you're not sure which orthotic you need in
