Repetitive stress on your feet can cause neuropathy. Neuropathy refers to the dysfunction or damage of one or more nerves that results in pain, muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling in the affected area.
While neuropathy may not be reversible, you can still manage it to get some relief from pain and make your life better. One of the things you can do to manage the pain resulting from neuropathy in the feet is wearing a comfortable pair of shoes when you are running.
There are a variety of running shoes available in the market that you can wear to manage your condition. We have compiled a list of some of the best ones to help you out.
In a hurry? Our top pick is the Orthofeet Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes
If you don’t have the time to read the entire article and are only interested in knowing which shoe is the best for neuropathy, then don’t worry. We will tell you which product is the best of the bunch.
For neuropathy, we believe that the Orthofeet Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes is the top product. These shoes have a lightweight, ergonomic sole that keeps your feet comfortable. Premium orthotic insoles used in the shoe feature multiple cushioning layers and anatomical arch support to make your running experience more comfortable.
These insoles can be removed, which means that you can insert your own orthotics into the Orthofeet Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoe. These shoes are available in wide and extra-wide width options so that they would fit a wide-footed runner. The soft and pliable upper of these shoes has extra foam padding and seam-free lining.
Another great thing about this model is that it is certified by Medicare and qualifies as a therapeutic shoe.
If you are looking for a running shoe that would provide some relief from the pain resulting from neuropathy, consider the Orthofeet Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes. These shoes feature a lightweight, ergonomic sole with air cushioning to provide maximum comfort to your feet.
Moreover, premium orthotic insoles are used that feature multiple layers of cushioning and anatomical arch support to provide a comfortable running experience. These insoles are removable, which means that you can use your own inserts if you want to.
The Orthofeet Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes are available in medium, wide and extra-wide width options, making them suitable for people with wide feet.
The upper of this running shoe is soft and pliable and features extra foam padding and seam-free fabric lining to provide protection for sensitive feet.
These shoes are also certified by Medicare and qualify as women’s therapeutic shoes. Another great thing about this model is that it has a wide toe-box, which eases pressure on your toes, reducing the likelihood of blisters and hot spots.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 is excellent stability running shoe. Many of the features that buyers enjoyed in the past are still present, but the new version has less bulk and more cushioning.
The upper is made with engineered mesh, which wraps around the shoe to offer an adaptable and snug fit that is also very breathable.
Its soft and smooth lining would feel comfortable around the skin to prevent irritations. The overlays of the shoe are made using 3D Fit Print technology, and they form a midfoot cage and heel counter to lock the foot securely into place. The tongue and collar of the shoe are padded for extra comfort.
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 comes with a BioMoGo DNA midsole. This midsole provides ample cushioning for shock absorption to keep your feet comfortable. The heel area features a DNA Loft crash pad, which is made with the combination of EVA foam, air, and rubber, for more comfortable cushioning and added durability.
Along the medial midfoot and lateral heel, there is a guide rail support system that prevents overpronation and ensures a straightened gait.
The outsole unit of the Adrenaline GTS 19 is made with blown rubber, which improves cushioning and durability. It also helps improve traction on different surfaces. The outsole also features deep flex grooves, which increase flexibility.
The Skechers Afterburn Memory-Foam is another option worth considering for people with neuropathy. This shoe features mesh upper with a padded collar and supportive overlays for maximum support. The mesh tongue is cushioned to improve comfort.
Moreover, the insole of the shoe is made with memory foam insole to provide underfoot comfort.
The outsole of the Skechers Afterburn Sneaker is made with ArticuLyte rubber, which offers decent traction on a variety of surfaces.
The midsole of the shoe is thick and should offer good shock absorption to keep you comfortable on the run.
It is worth noting that many customers have had complaints about the outsole of this running shoe. The outsole isn’t too durable, which means that the shoe won’t last a long time. This can be a major deal-breaker because durability is integral for a running shoe.
The Gravity Defyer is an option for women suffering from neuropathy. This shoe is subtle in power and sleek in design.
It is lightweight and breathable and would offer you a secure fit. The design of the Gravity Defyer is low-profile, but it still assists in relieving pain. The toe-box is comfortable and has ample wiggle room for your toes. This would reduce the likelihood of pain and blisters.
The midfoot of this shoe is well-supported while the insoles are removable, which means that you can use your own orthotics with the Gravity Defyer.
The interior is seamless and wouldn’t cause any irritation. This shoe features the VersoShock technology, which can reduce multiple pains. It helps absorb shock on each impact and returns energy to your feet. This means that you would be able to manage your neuropathy by wearing these shoes.
The Gravity Defyer would offer a secure and gentle fit. It features tie-less laces made with non-toxic silicone. These are flexible, waterproof, hypoallergenic, and easy-to-clean. Overall, the Gravity Defyer is a good pair of shoes. The price is on the higher-end, but it is worth it considering the featuring of this shoe.
The 10th iteration of the Brooks Ghost features several updates from the upper to the outsole. The midsole hasn’t been updated, so you would still get the same cushioning, which makes this shoe suitable for long-distance runs.
The upper in the Ghost 10 is more free-foam and generous fit owing to the flexible overlays. The toe-box is roomier, which means that you will have ample wiggle room. The interior comes with the BioMoGo foam sockliner to provide underfoot comfort.
The midsole of the Brooks Ghost 10 contains the BioMoGo DNA EVA foam. It feels softer underfoot. The midfoot area delivers better arch support while the heel has a new crash pad for enhanced support and a softer landing platform. The cushioning of the Brooks Ghost 10’s BioMoGo DNA EVA foam hasn’t changed, but some customers have pointed out that the feel is much softer.
This means that you will get a plush ride but not too much responsiveness. The softer midsole might be more forgiving for people who purse long distances.
The outsole of the Brooks Ghost 10 is made with two different types of rubber. The forefoot area is made with blown rubber while the rear end of the shoe is covered with carbon rubber to reduce wear and tear.
In design, the outsole is similar to Brooks Ghost 9 but has deeper forefoot grooves that improve feel. This outsole delivers a good grip on a variety of surfaces.
The Asics Gel-Venture 6 is a high-quality running shoe that has features that make it a good option for those with neuropathy.
One of the best features of this shoe is that it comes with a rear-foot gel cushioning system. This gel cushioning can provide some relief from foot pain by attenuating shock on the impact on each strike.
If you use custom orthotics to help manage the pain resulting from neuropathy, you would like the Asics Gel-Venture 6 as it comes with removable insoles. This means that you can take out the insole and use your own orthotics for extra support and comfort.
These shoes increase the durability of the outsole by incorporating the Asics high-abrasion rubber in the outsole. This rubber is strategically placed in high-impact areas to provide protection against wear and tear. AHAR outsole offers excellent grip, ensuring that you don’t slip while running.
Overall, the Asics Gel-Venture 6 is a pretty good option at this price range.
The Orthofeet Venture offers a non-binding fit, arch support, and pressure point protection. The cushioned midsole is ergonomic and helps soften the steps and keep you stable.
The shoe would improve your foot motion while the orthotic insole will give extra support and comfort. With a roomy toe box and engineered pain reduction, your neuropathic feet would feel relaxed.
The insole of the Orthofeet Ventura has anatomical arch support while the heel area of the shoe is cushioned to contour to your feet. This insole would enhance comfort and alleviate foot pain.
The upper area of the shoe is constructed with leather, which can be an issue for some people. If the leather feels uncomfortable, you will have to replace the shoe.
The outsole of the Orthofeet Ventura is made with rubber and should offer a good grip on a variety of surfaces. This means that you won’t have to worry about losing your grip while you are running.
The Ped-Lite Adele Athletic Shoe is specially designed and built for women who suffer from neuropathy. These shoes offer comfort, support, and flexibility for sore, swollen, and painful feet. This means that if you have neuropathy, you will find these shoes comfortable.
The Ped-Lite Adele Shoes are engineered to relieve pressure on certain areas of the foot, and they can help you keep your feet aligned in symmetry.
These shoes may look like traditional athletic shoes, but the manufacturers have worked hard to create a specialized shoe that would be comfortable for neuropathy sufferers.
The upper of the shoe is made of leather and mesh. Leather improves durability while mesh promotes airflow. The shoe also includes a cushioned orthotic for support and comfort. This orthotic is removable, which means that you can use your own specialized insole if you prefer.
The Ped-Lite Adele Shoes is available in standard width, wide width, and extra-wide width option, which means that it is also suitable for wide-footed runners.
The Dr. Comfort Performance-X Therapeutic Diabetic Shoe can be a decent option for people with peripheral neuropathy. The upper of this model is made of leather and mesh, which means that you can expect durability and breathability from it.
The manufacturers claim that these shoes work well for different foot conditions, including arthritis, bunions, diabetes, corns, pronation, heel calluses, hammertoes, flat feet, edema, and neuropathy.
Gel Plus insoles come with the shoe, and they are quite comfortable. If, however, you don’t want to use them, just take them out and insert your own orthotics.
Dr. Comfort Performance-X Shoes come in wide, x-wide, and medium options, which means that you would be able to find a good fit even if your feet are wide.
These shoes feature an arch stabilizer that may help alleviate some of the pain associated with neuropathy. The outsole of the shoes is made with rubber and offers good traction. Overall, Dr. Comfort Performance-X Shoes’ features make it an option worth considering for people with neuropathy.
The Orthofeet Coral is a comfortable sneaker that is suitable for diabetic and neuropathic feet. A contoured insole in the interior provides anatomical support, while gel-padded heel offers comfort to people with neuropathy.
The uppers are made with synthetic materials and have perforations on both sides and the toe area to promote maximum airflow, ensuring that your feet stay cool and comfy.
The midsole of the Orthofeet Coral offers air cushioning to absorb shock on impact and keep your feet comfortable. The extra-depth design of the shoe prevents your feet from feeling cramped during the run.
The Orthofeet Coral has a wide toe-box that provides ample room for your toes to breathe. The interior is made more supportive and comfortable with padded foam.
The price of these shoes is reasonable, considering the features incorporated in them.
If you suffer from neuropathy, you should look for certain types of materials in your running shoes to make them comfortable. Look for mesh, fabric, canvas, and soft leather. These materials would offer you the most comfort and breathability while you are running.
In addition, they are supportive and flexible, which means that they would allow you to run without any major problem. People who suffer from neuropathy need shoes that will keep their feet in a fixed position and soothe pressure points.
But they also need shoes that are flexible enough and provide ample wiggle room for the toes. This is why it is very important to pay attention to the materials of the running shoes that you are buying.
There are certain materials that you should stay away from. These include rigid and stiff leather. Rigid leather would put pressure on your foot, and it won’t be breathable, resulting in pain and suffocation. This can cause more problems for people whose feet swell.
Comfort is one of the most important factors to consider when you are shopping for running shoes for neuropathy. Insole plays an important role in a shoe’s comfort. The insole is the part of the shoe that’s against the bottom of your foot.
Insoles can be thin or thick. They are also removable and non-removable. If your feet have a high arch, you might need a thick insole. If you don’t support your arches properly, you might suffer from collapsed arches.
The insole of a running shoe disperses the impact on each strike. A good insole would absorb most of the impact to ensure that your feet don’t feel pain when you strike the ground. Insoles can have air pockets embedded in them, or they can be made with memory foam to absorb the shock impact.
The midsole of a running shoe also plays a crucial role in determining its comfort as it also helps absorb shock on impact. A thick midsole is generally more shock absorbent than a thin midsole. Therefore, when you are shopping for running shoes for neuropathy, consider going with a shoe whose midsole is thick.
When you have neuropathy, you might feel a burning sensation in your feet. Due to this reason, you should search for shoes that alleviate heat trapped inside. This means that you should look for shoes made with breathable materials. Some companies make shoes with breathable materials and go a step further by adding perforations or using cooling gel inserts to promote airflow. Some shoes are being designed with moisture-wicking capability.
This helps pull away from the heat and moisture trapped within the shoe, preventing the buildup of sweat, which may cause blisters overtime.
Consider the fit of the running shoe that you are planning to buy. People with neuropathy should search for shoes that feature a wider toe-box. The spacious room will give their toes ample room to spread. A wider toe-box also relieves pressure from the toes.
Most manufacturers give the dimensions of their shoes to help consumers. We advise that you measure your toes according to those dimensions to see the room that you will need.
The extra room in the toe-box prevents your toes from cramping and helps get rid of some or all nerve pinching. The pinched nerves can cause permanent suffering and damage after many years. The repetitive stress placed on the toes may be avoided by using a shoe that is wide enough for the toes.
Moreover, there will be less friction between your toes as they won’t rub against one another when you wear a shoe with a wide toe-box.
The last important thing to consider when shopping for running shoes for neuropathy is value for money. There are many high-end shoes available in the market, but expensive doesn’t necessarily mean the best.
You should look for shoes that give you the best value for money. You can find such shoes without spending a lot of money as long as you know what you are looking for, so don’t always go for the most premium running shoes.
In neuropathy, you will feel a sharp stabbing pain in your hands or feet. This pain can also lead to leg pain in varying stiffness and degree. However, it is usually more evident in the feet. People with diabetes are more likely to suffer from neuropathy pain, owing to poorly controlled blood sugar.
Yes, it’s possible. People who don’t have diabetes can also be affected by neuropathy. However, the pain they would feel won’t be as severe as those felt by people with diabetes.
Arch support can definitely help relieve some pain resulting from neuropathy. So when you are looking at running shoes to buy, pay attention to the support provided by them. Not all shoes would provide this support. If you get a shoe that doesn’t provide good arch support, your condition could worsen instead of improving.
When managing neuropathy, self-care is essential. Keep your blood pressure under control and eat a healthy diet. It is also important that you manage your weight. Extra weight might lead to more pain in the feet. Try to rest as much as you can and wear shoes or sandals that are specially designed for people with neuropathy.
Loss of sensation, prickling, and tingling in the feet could be a frustrating and dangerous situation. However, peripheral neuropathy can be especially concerning for runners. In the early stages of the disease, persistent foot pain may make running a medium or even short distances too uncomfortable.
However, as sensation drains away, and numbness starts to set in, the risk of injuries rises. Whether you continue running with neuropathy or not is a decision that you will have to make by consulting with your doctor and will depend on your condition, symptoms, and goals.
The good news for you is that many people continue running with the right modifications and precautions. However, serious consequences can result from not taking proper precautions.
For example, if you aren’t able to feel how your feet fit inside the shoe, you might not notice pressure spots and friction. As you continue running, those sources of contact could develop into ulcers, blisters, or toenail injuries.
Peripheral neuropathy can also make you less supportive and steady on your feet, and you might not be able to properly judge the terrain underneath you, increasing your likelihood of losing your balance and falling. Other problems include a loss of coordination and strength or decreased joint flexibility.
If you like running and notice symptoms of neuropathy, visit a specialist right away.
They would help you address the issue and may be able to help you keep running for as long as possible.
Below, we have discussed some treatments and advice that may help you achieve this goal.
Sometimes the cause of neuropathy isn’t clear. These types of neuropathy cases are called idiopathic. However, in most cases, there are some conditions – like nutritional deficits or diabetes – that accelerate the nerve damage. It is vital that you get such situations under control so that you can slow down the progression of neuropathy.
If you wish to run with neuropathy, it is vital that you invest in a good quality pair of running shoes that are suitable for your condition. Getting the fit right is critical, and you should also go with a pair that offers plenty of cushioning and shock absorption to keep your feet comfortable.
It is also recommended that you use moisture-wicking socks to remove unnecessary friction and irritation. Custom orthotics that relieve pressure points and correct biomechanical flaws are also a good option. You could also consider getting athletic braces to improve stability and protect vulnerable joints.
You would be more likely to suffer injuries if you don’t prepare your feet and body properly for running. It is best to start at a pace you are confident you can handle even if it means brisk walking.
As your fitness, coordination, and strength improve, you can start increasing the intensity, speed, and length of your runs gradually. While you are doing this, keep working on the flexibility and strength of your legs and angles during your rest days.
If you have neuropathy, you should check your feet every day for signs of distress or injury such as cuts, blisters, swelling, etc. The reason is that when you aren’t able to feel your feet, you won’t notice an injury right away.
If you don’t find the injury soon, it could turn into a more serious infection or ulcer. Runners should be more vigilant about their inspection because running is a high-impact activity and can cause foot injuries. Therefore, before you run, inspect your feet and take a look at them after the run to address any injuries or changes.
We have listed some of the best running shoes for neuropathy. Our list should help you find a shoe that may make your condition better or help relieve some of the pain associated with neuropathy. When making the decision to buy a shoe, consider the things we discussed earlier. These include materials, comfort, breathability, fit, and value for money.
This should help you select a shoe that meets your needs. Remember that even if you are wearing the right pair of running shoes, you should still avoid running long distances. Long-distance runs could worsen your condition.
Moreover, if you aren’t sure about whether you should run or not, consult with a specialist. They would evaluate your symptoms and conditions and then advise accordingly.
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