Best Shoes for Ankle Support

Life is too short to let weak ankles or past ankle injuries dictate your lifestyle, and the thing is that the wrong shoes can put your ankles at risk of further injury, while the right shoes can help you stay active and pain free. 

Whether you love running, like playing sports, or simply want to walk and move around in confidence and comfort, we have three words for you: ankle support shoes. These mighty shoes offer the perfect blend of stability and support, all while giving your feet the freedom to move like they were born to.

What is ankle support in shoes?

The best shoes for ankle support are those that fit you well and come with enhanced support in the midsole, a cushioned insole, a deep heel cup, a higher heel drop, arch support and a wide toe box. 

We will explain later exactly how and why these footwear design features are good for your ankles, but first we want to start with our ankle support shoe recommendations, all of which offer the design features listed above.

Our best 6 shoes for weak ankles

Ankle support sneakers for walking or running

Women’s Verve | Men’s Sprint

Why you’ll love it

• Multiple adjustability options
• Breathable uppers

 

Specs

• Sizes: women 5-12; men 7-14
• Widths: women Standard (B) - Wide (D) | men Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: stretch knit.

 

When it comes to running and walking, having the right shoe support is crucial for ankle stability, and that’s exactly what the women's Verve and men's Sprint sneakers focus on.

One standout feature is the adjustable heel strap, allowing you to customize the fit regardless of foot size or shape. Once the grip is secured, worries about slippage or discomfort due to tightness become a thing of the past.

Moreover, the sneakers still retain laces, but they incorporate a patented tie-less lace technology. This clever design incorporates hidden Velcro tabs on either side of the shoe, enabling easy on-and-off without the need for tying and untying laces. This feature is great for anyone who rushes through their day (so, basically, everyone), and also for individuals with motoric issues in their hands and fingers, or those who find bending down challenging.

The uppers are made from breathable stretch knit materials, allowing air to circulate while you walk or run and keeping your feet dry, odorless, healthy and comfortable. 

To address the excessive inward rolling of the foot that puts extra pressure on the ankles - a common condition called over pronation - the premium insole with an anatomical shape provides vital arch support. This support not only helps maintain proper foot, and therefore ankle, alignment, but also prevents excessive strain on the plantar fascia, reducing the risk of overworking or damaging it.

For women, the Verve sneakers come in the color choices of black, turquoise and fuchsia. 

Men can choose the Sprint shoe in gray, blue and black.

Ankle support shoes for work 

Women’s Talya 

Why you’ll love it

• Superior grip outsole
• Easy to clean, water repellent uppers

 

Specs

• Sizes: 5-12
• Widths: Standard (B) - Extra Wide (2E)
• Upper materials: soft synthetic leather

 

The lightweight Talya sneakers offer a multitude of features to keep your feet and ankles comfortable and secure while you’re hard at work.

One of their most notable attributes is their exceptional traction capabilities. Thanks to their high-quality rubber outsoles, these sneakers provide superior grip on any surface, ensuring stability and preventing slips.

The Talya sneakers boast premium flexible uppers that are also fluid-repellent, ensuring your comfort levels remain sky-high throughout the day. Whether you encounter spills or splashes, these sneakers are designed to withstand the challenges of your work environment.

As an added bonus, maintaining the cleanliness of these shoes is a breeze. With a simple wipe, you can easily remove any evidence of spills or stains, so you can concentrate on your work without worrying about the appearance of your shoes.

Equipped with a contoured orthotic insole and ergonomic sole, the Talya sneakers offer the optimal support your feet and ankles need, making them an ideal companion for long workdays on your feet. For that reason, these sneakers are often considered a top choice also for individuals dealing with foot conditions like plantar fasciitis or arthritis.

Finally, with a generous toe box design your feet will be able to maintain natural toe splay and unrestricted toe movement.

 

Men’s Granite

Why you’ll love it

• Soles with ladder grab notches
• Waterproof leather

 

Specs

• Sizes: 7-14
• Widths: Standard (D) - Extra Extra Wide (6E)
• Upper materials: soft synthetic leather

 

Seeing as the Granite work boots are, well, boots, it’s in their nature to provide extra ankle support, but they also offer a slew of other features that keep your ankles healthy and comfortable.

These boots are equipped with a wide and roomy composite safety toe, and with an F2413-18 safety rating, they meet the highest industry standards for impact, compression and electric hazard resistance, ensuring your feet stay safe in hazardous environments.

The leather upper of the Granite boots is not only waterproof, but also designed with sealed seams and a gusseted tongue. These features work together to prevent any liquids from seeping into the boots, keeping your feet dry, comfortable and protected throughout your workday.

The rubber outsole is slip-resistant, even on oily surfaces. What sets it apart is the ladder grab feature with notches that latch onto ladder steps, significantly enhancing stability and reducing the risk of slips or falls while working at heights.

The ergonomic sole of the Granite boots is cushioned from heel to toe and are also surprisingly lightweight. These two features work together to ensure comfortable walking and reduce fatigue and stress on your feet. This cushioning also provides added support to the ankle area, contributing to overall stability and comfort.

The smooth fabric interior of the boots is padded with foam, providing protection for sensitive feet. Additionally, the boots feature a generously wide toe box, offering enhanced comfort and allowing your toes to move naturally.

For those who require extra depth or prefer to use their own orthotics, the Granite boots offer sufficient room and a relaxed fit to accommodate custom inserts.

Available in both black and brown. 

Ankle support shoes for the elderly 

Women’s Kita | Men’s Yari 

Why you’ll love it

• Hands-free on and off wear
• Slip resistant outsoles for added stability

 

Specs

• Sizes: women 5-12; men 7-14
• Widths: women Standard (B) - Wide (D) | men Standard (D) - Extra Wide (4E)
• Upper materials: stretch knit

 

The Kita sneakers for women and Yari sneakers for men are undoubtedly two of the best shoes for seniors. Here’s why.

Probably the most important feature of these sneakers when keeping the elderly in mind, is their slip-on design, making them the ideal choice for individuals who may have difficulty bending over or dealing with laces, or deal with any other kind of mobility issues. 

The innovative hands-free design eliminates the need for traditional laces by incorporating a discreet spring mechanism in the back section. This mechanism allows the rear portion of the shoe to gently descend as the foot enters, making it easy to slide the foot in and ensuring a secure fit as the shoe promptly rebounds and embraces the foot.

In addition to their convenient slip-on style, both the Kita and Yari sneakers prioritize arch support. They come equipped with orthotic insoles that are specifically engineered to provide excellent arch support, promoting proper foot alignment and reducing pressure and discomfort in the ankle area.

The sneakers also feature a wide toe box, allowing the toes to move freely and naturally. This spacious area helps prevent cramped toes and enhances overall comfort. Moreover, the sneakers are made from stretchable, breathable and water repellent materials. These materials allow for proper airflow, ward off moisture and foot odors, and provide a snug fit without causing discomfort.

Despite their lightweight construction, these sneakers offer slip-resistant soles and excellent stability. This makes them suitable for the elderly, and also professionals, joggers, hikers and anyone looking for reliable traction and stability that contribute to the overall safety and support provided by these shoes.

FAQ

What shoes should I wear for ankle pain?

If you have pain in your ankles, it’s best to look for shoes that can give your feet and ankles the support they need and take the pressure off the painful area.

Here are the features to look for. 

• Enhanced support in the midsole and a cushioned insole. Sufficient cushioning and effective shock absorption within the midsole and the entire insole of a shoe can minimize the impact experienced by the ankle joint, offering an extra layer of comfort and protection.
• A deep heel cup. The presence of deep heel cups in shoes serves to stabilize the foot by aligning it with the ankle, knee and hips. This alignment promotes proper foot positioning, which in turn helps alleviate issues related to over pronation and supination that put extra stress on the ankles. By reducing pain from the feet all the way to the back, it allows for a more comfortable experience.
• A higher heel drop. Heel drop is the height difference between the shoe’s heel and the toe. Zero drop shoes evenly distribute cushioning beneath both the heels and toes, but they may not provide sufficient ankle support. The lower the heel, the greater the demands placed on your Achilles tendon, potentially exerting additional strain on the rear of your ankle. In contrast, the optimal ankle support shoes tend to feature a higher heel drop. 
• Arch support. Maintaining adequate arch support is key to fostering ankle stability. Individuals with weak or collapsed arches are more susceptible to over pronation, ankle pain, instability and potential injuries. To address these concerns, shoes equipped with appropriate arch support or supplemented with an additional insole can effectively bolster ankle support, providing a solid foundation from the ground up.
• Good fit and wide toe box. It's important to ensure that your shoes offer ample space for your toes to move unrestrictedly while simultaneously providing a snug and secure fit around the ankle. Steer clear of shoes that are either overly tight or excessively loose, as they will fail to deliver the necessary comfort and stability required for injury prevention.

 

Although it’s not a must, ankle support footwear can also have a higher shaft that holds the ankles in place.

Is it OK to walk with ankle pain?

If you’ve had an ankle injury, it’s best to see a healthcare professional and get your ankle treated. 

If it’s a sprain, you will probably need to rest and stay off your feet for a while, and possibly you will have the option to use crutches to keep the weight off the injured leg.

If the cause of your ankle pain is some sort of inflammation in the feet, such as plantar fasciitis or tendonitis, the result will likely be extra stress on various muscles and tendons, including those in the ankles, because the inflammation will affect the gait. In such cases, wearing good supportive shoes may allow you to walk with ankle pain and could even alleviate or treat it. 

Still, before you decide whether or not to walk with ankle pain, it's best to consult with your healthcare provider. 

Finally, it is worth noting that wearing the right shoes can also help you avoid ankle pain in the first place.