The short answer: the best-supported advice about walking shoes is also the simplest: get the right size and width. Most of the specific numbers in shoe guides, such as how much shoe weight costs you, how much cushioning you need, and how often to replace them, come from running research, from convention, or from marketing, and we couldn't find walking trials behind them.
| Common claim | What we found |
|---|---|
| Fit matters more than any feature | Supported: incorrectly sized shoes are common and linked to foot pain and disorders |
| 100 g of shoe weight costs about 1% more energy per step | A running figure; not confirmed for walking, and one walking study found no effect of shoe weight |
| More cushioning protects joints | Not shown: a 2022 review of running footwear found insufficient evidence that it lowers impact forces |
| Replace walking shoes every 500 to 800 km | A running convention; no walking-specific interval or injury evidence found |
| Walking shoes are built differently from running shoes | No evidence we found that the category matters more than fit and comfort |
Fit
A 2018 systematic search and narrative review in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (Buldt and Menz) concluded that a large proportion of people wear incorrectly sized footwear and that this is associated with foot pain and foot disorders, including lesser toe deformity, corns and calluses. Seven of the eight studies that examined the link found a significant association. Older people and people with diabetes were especially likely to wear shoes that were too narrow, in studies reporting between 46 and 81%. These are associations rather than trials, but they point the same way as common sense.
The usual fitting tips, such as leaving about a thumb's width in front of the longest toe, a snug heel, no pressure points, and walking around in the shop for a few minutes, are standard practice rather than study findings. Foot volume does change during the day and when you stand for a long time, so trying shoes later in the day is sensible, but we couldn't find the earlier page's "half a size" figure, so it is gone. Try both shoes, fit the larger foot, and wear your usual socks. If you are older, athletic or canvas shoes were linked to the lowest fall risk in a 2004 study of older adults, while bare feet or socks were linked to far more falls; see barefoot walking. If you have diabetes, see a podiatrist about footwear.
Cushioning, arch support and the rest
The earlier page recommended "medium cushioning with a firm, supportive feel," said overly soft soles destabilise the foot, and gave advice for matching arch support to foot type using a wet-footprint test. We found no walking trials supporting these. A 2022 focused review of running footwear concluded that there is not sufficient evidence that more midsole cushioning reduces ground reaction forces. We haven't reviewed whether matching shoes to foot type helps walkers. If you have foot pain or a diagnosed foot condition, a podiatrist is the evidence-based route, and we'd rather say that than guess at insoles. We also dropped the page's table of walking shoes versus running shoes, with specific heel-to-toe drops, because we couldn't find evidence that the category matters more than how a given shoe fits and feels. Comfort is the one criterion you can test yourself in the shop.
Shoe weight
The earlier page said every 100 grams of shoe weight requires about 1% more energy per step. That figure comes from running: studies put the cost at roughly 0.7 to 1.1% per 100 g added to each shoe. We haven't found it confirmed for walking, and a small study of 20 people walking in several types of footwear, including a flat shoe weighted to match another, found that shoe weight had no effect on any of the measures, including the metabolic cost of walking. So don't trade fit for lightness.
When to replace them
The advice to replace shoes every 500 to 800 km is a running-shoe rule of thumb. A study of runners found that after a fatiguing trail run, their shoes showed reduced midsole thickness and increased stiffness, so the materials do wear. Whether replacing walking shoes at a particular distance prevents injuries, we don't know. The old page's signs of wear are reasonable practical cues: new aches that weren't there before, visible compression or creasing in the midsole, and uneven wear or a soft heel cup. On the claim that you should buy two pairs and rotate, the evidence on rotating running shoes is contrasting: a review cites two 2015 studies, by Malisoux and by van der Worp and their colleagues, with contrasting findings on whether it reduces injury risk.
What we took out
We removed the claims that smart shoes are "gimmicks" with sensors less accurate than a phone, that aftermarket insoles "rarely improve" on stock ones, and that waterproof membranes aren't worth it. They are opinions, and we have no evidence for or against. If cost is a concern, the fit evidence above suggests a well-fitting inexpensive pair beats a poorly fitting expensive one, though we haven't tested that either. Walking and joint health, walking posture and form and walking in the rain cover related questions.
Sources
- Buldt AK, Menz HB. Incorrectly fitted footwear, foot pain and foot disorders: a systematic search and narrative review of the literature. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. 2018;11:43. PMC
- Koepsell TD, Wolf ME, Buchner DM, et al. Footwear style and risk of falls in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2004;52(9):1495-1501. PubMed
- Running injury paradigms and their influence on footwear design features and runner assessment methods: a focused review to advance evidence-based practice for running medicine clinicians. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2022. frontiersin.org
- A comparison of the energetic cost of running in marathon racing shoes. Sports Medicine. 2018. PMC
- Effect of rollover footwear on metabolic cost of ambulation, lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and EMG related muscle activity during walking. PMC
- Mechanisms, economy, and performance of advanced footwear technology in endurance running: a review. PMC
Correction note: an earlier version of this page said every 100 grams of shoe weight costs about 1% more energy per step, that shoes should be replaced every 500 to 800 km, that your feet swell by half a size during the day, that medium cushioning is ideal and soft soles destabilise the foot, gave a table of walking shoes versus running shoes with specific drops and features, and called smart shoes, aftermarket insoles and waterproof membranes not worth the money. We could not support those for walking, so they were removed or reframed as running figures or common practice. We checked the figures above against published abstracts and summaries on October 2, 2026. We did not review the evidence on shoes for specific foot conditions, and the rotation-study citation is from a review rather than the original papers. This article is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice; if you have foot pain or diabetes, consult a podiatrist. This is general information, not medical advice.