The shooting, sharp, and burning pain in the ball of your feet can make it hard for you to keep moving. But a pair of the best walking shoes for metatarsalgia can easily ease the pain and allow you to go about your daily business just fine.
Biomechanically engineered and including features that offer anatomical support and proper feet cushioning, these walking shoes can properly align your feet and ease pressure that would otherwise cause pain on the ball of your feet.
Available in different categories, from sandals and sneakers to boots and dress shoes, there’s just the right pair of shoes you can wear if you’re experiencing serious pain in the balls of your feet.
This guide looks into some of the top footwear options for people with metatarsalgia. So if you’re one of them, you’ll love the following recommendations.
Best Walking Shoes for Metatarsalgia Reviews
1. OOFOS OOriginal Thong Sandal
OOFOS OOriginal Thongs aren’t by any mean fashionable. But when it comes to relieving your feet from injuries after exposure to physical stress, these don’t disappoint.
The inclusion of the OOfoam recovery technology on the footbed ensures a comfortable landing even on hard surfaces.
In action, the technology absorbs as much as 37% of the pressure exerted by the ground with every step you take, easing pain in the balls of your feet and lowering stress on your back and knees.
The upper, with its mushy thong construct, feels smooth to the touch. And given its abrasion resistance, you walk freely without worrying about skin irritation.
Not only is the footbed odor resistant. It also has a good level of moisture management, which allows your feet to stay cool and dry throughout a casual stroll.
That means no sweaty feet to deal with and no smell to worry about when you take the sandals off.
Unfortunately, the footbed becomes slippery when wet, making the pair unsuitable for walking in rainy weather.
Expect the outsole to give you a decent level of traction for a stable walk. But tread profile may not stand up to oily and slippery surfaces like non-slip shoes do.
2. Birkenstock Arizona Soft Footbed Leather Shoes
Birkenstock Arizona leather shoes are hard when they arrive, but they become softer and more comfortable the more you wear them.
The material used to construct the upper depends on the option you choose, with the most common options being suede, oiled leather, microfiber, and nubuck.
Featuring a double closure straps for easy adjustments, Birkenstock Arizona leather shoes are easy to wear to a snug fit.
Its thick and soft corked footbed provides a comfortable platform for your feet. And after a one or two weeks break in period, the footbed compresses and contours to the shape of your feet to align your natural gait as you walk.
In addition to offering better traction on different floors, these shoes absorb shock from every step you take. Add to this a raised toe-bar that enhance grip and a deep heel cup that improves rear foot stability and what you get is a pair of open shoes that eases metatarsal pain as you walk.
At its current price tag, you expect the Birkenstock Arizona soft footbed leather shoes to last longer. And rightly so, they will.
The irreplaceable footbed may start to wear out after logging about 500 miles, and that’s so even when with consistent walking.
3. Vionic Women’s Amber
Perhaps the most classic open shoes in the Vionic collection, the Women’s Orthaheel Amber no doubt have that good-looking effect that can match your outfit while going easy on the ball of your foot.
From the look of things, it’s nice to see Vionic giving the pair a fashionable touch to these, right from the color options to material selection.
The natural cork upper gives these a sleek look that could as easily turn heads in the streets.
Instead of having a single hook and loop closure just a few millimeter above the heels, Vionic Orthaheel Amber has four – at the toe, at the forefoot, at the instep, and at the heels.
These straps are easy to adjust, so you can get a better, snug fit that makes walking with the ball of foot pain possible.
The interior padding on the footbed isn’t next level cushioning in the open shoes persona. But for the price point, you seriously get more than what you pay for.
Amber’s footbed feels soft and comfortable with a moisture wicking membrane that keeps your feet cool and dry even from long distance walks.
With its lightweight design and shock absorbance power, these open shoes go easy on your metatarsal joints with every step you take.
The floral patterns on the outsole offer stability and traction on different surfaces, so you can walk without worrying about losing your balance.
4. Orthofeet Mary Jane Walking Shoes
Orthofeet Mary Jane walking shoes may not be such a popular name where you come from, but they’re comfortable enough to ease metatarsalgia, heel, and foot pain.
Their design features a stretchable upper that offers better feet relaxation. And there’s enough room in the toe box for pressure relief as you move about.
The combination of a soft leather and synthetic stretch panels on the upper provide a structural support to your feet while ensuring efficient breathability to keep your feet cool and dry throughout the day.
In addition to efficient air circulation, these walking shoes for metatarsalgia have excellent moisture management, so you don’t have to worry about stinky feet or smelly shoes when you take them off.
The footbed features a thin layer of padded foam. That combined with the custom orthotic insole make Mary Jane one of the most comfortable walking shoes for women with metatarsal pain.
What’s more?
The integrated insoles have a gel-padded heel seat. Not to mention that the structure offers an anatomical arch support, which even improve the shoes’ ability to absorb shock and go easy on your metatarsal joints.
Instead of the traditional lacing system, Orthofeet includes hook and loop strap on Mary Jane walking shoes, allowing for quick and more personalized fit.
These shoes even feature an ergonomic sole unit, which absorbs pressure from all surfaces and softens every step you take. In addition to promoting healthy gait, expect the soles to offer reliable traction and stability when walking.
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5. Hoka One One Bondi 5 Running Shoes
It’s unlike of us to recommend running shoes for walking. But the Hoka Bondi 5 is dynamic enough to include in our list of the best walking shoes for metatarsalgia.
For those of us who are more about comfort and less about looks, the color combination added to these running shoes may not mean a thing.
Still, they look great from a distance, enough to make a strong fashion statement if combined with the right casual wear.
Speaking of design, Hoka Bondi 5 feature a breathable mesh upper that allows constant air circulation. Besides keeping your feet cool and dry as you stand and walk, it prevents odor from building up so you don’t have to worry about smelly feet.
A removable insole rests on the footbed. In addition, the breathable fabric lining keeps the sole of your feet sweat free, no matter how long you’re on your feet.
While the collar could use a little more padding, what you get should still be good for soothing your heels.
Featuring a hard rocker sole, with a cushioning that’s 2.5 times more than what you get from regular sports shoes, Hoka Bondi 5 easily reduces stress on the ball of the feet, resulting in minimized metatarsalgia pain.
The thick midsole, together with what seems to be a robust outsole, absorbs as much shock, so there’s minimal pressure reaching to the ball of your feet.