Walking Shoes with Ankle Support
Most people take walking for granted. After all, it's something most of us do every day without thinking about it.
But if you have weak or painful ankles, walking can be a real challenge. That's why it's important to find shoes with ankle support to make walking a little easier.
In this post, we'll discuss the benefits of walking shoes with ankle support and recommend some of our favorite options on the market. If you're looking for a way to make walking less painful, keep reading and then check in with your physician to see what shoes are best for you!
Why ankle support?
People can endure ankle pain caused by conditions such as arthritis, physical trauma, or an autoimmune disorder that attacks the ankle joint. Regardless of the cause, the pain is real, and it can make any kind of mobility a challenge.
For those afflicted, it's important to find walking shoes with ankle support, so the pain and discomfort aren't worsened by the action of walking.
You may not have a chronic ankle disorder, but you're simply the unfortunate beneficiary of weak ankles. In this case, also, you'll want footwear that supports and provides comfort for your ankles, so walking somewhere doesn't become a challenge.
People with weak ankles often suffer from a condition known as supination, which is characterized by rolling on the outsides of your feet as you walk. Rather than having balanced footfalls, you tend to strike harder on the outside portion of your feet, and this becomes quite noticeable after a hard workout or after a long walk.
People who are athletic can suffer trauma to their ankles, and once an ankle has been sprained, it becomes much more likely that additional sprains will follow. Whatever kind of injury or weakness is afflicting your ankles, you'll want footwear that provides excellent support.
Here are the features you should be looking for in any walking shoes with ankle support:
Good traction - people with weak or painful ankles tend to slip and fall more often, and if your shoes aren't gripping the ground or floor properly, it puts more stress on the muscles around the ankles.
Cushioned midsole - a cushioned midsole will help absorb much of the impact of walking or running, and it will also deliver support to your arches. People suffering from supination quite often have flat feet, and that means they need extra arch support.
Supportive outsole - for those individuals fighting supination, you need this kind of support to keep your foot more balanced and to fight the tendency to roll to the outside.
If you can find footwear that incorporates all three of these desirable construction elements, you should have a shoe that keeps you relatively comfortable and provides the support you need.
Dealing with weak ankles
In a long-term sense, dealing with weak ankles can be a bit more problematic. If you're overweight, losing weight will undoubtedly help relieve some of the stress on your ankles. Undergoing physical therapy can also help because you'll be doing regular exercises that strengthen the ankles and relieve pressure, improve your balance, and give you a fuller range of motion.
There are surgical solutions as well if you suffer from end stage ankle arthritis, but this is only considered by a physician as a last resort. In the meantime, find the most comfortable and supportive kinds of footwear available, and you'll be doing your ankles a big favor.
References:
1. https://moccasinguru.com/best-shoes-for-ankle-support/
2. https://www.cfac.net/2020/04/17/what-to-do-if-you-have-weak-ankles/
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/supination
4. https://www.hss.edu/conditions_ankle-arthritis-total-ankle-replacement.asp