Russhoolio's Full Review: Superfeet Performance Full Length Insoles Men
If you have shoes, you need good insoles. Why? Because unlike the insoles that came with your shoes, your feet are not flat (probably). Feet have arches, that is more than one arch. I don't have them memorized but there are many sites that explain it well. If your foot arches are not properly supported when you walk, then your ankles will bend incorrectly and over many thousands of steps, will throw your hips and back out of alignment. Which in turn will cause you physical pain, injury, and medical expenses.
I learned about this the hard way when my chiropractor suggested that my recent spate of low back problems had less do to with my being tall and skinny, and more to do with my shoes. And specifically to do with a lack of arch support in my shoes.
So began my great Shoe Drama. I've been trying to find shoes that have real arch support. Most have pretend arch support. Even most after market insoles have only pretend arch support. It's easy to tell the difference, real arch supporting insoles support your arch all the way to the ground. The pretend ones are arch shaped, but the arch sits on air. The fakers will often "support" your arch against the side of the shoe.
Another type of pretend "arch support" is the soft and cushy, but molded to your foot type. If it's soft and cushy, it's not supporting you. Think of a too-soft mattress. It feels nice at first, but then you wake up with a sore back. Same concept.
Superfeet insoles have real arch support. The kind that push against the bottom of your foot and conduct your standing pressure into the ground. I've been wearing these for about 2 weeks now and I've noticed an improvement in my low back already.
They can be a bit uncomfortable after a while because they are made of hard plastic. So they don't conform to the shape of your individual foot. They conform to a sort of average foot. But I'll take that over damaged vertebrae. Which is what you are likely to get in the long term without proper arch support.
They come in several approximate sizes that are meant to be cut to fit your specific shoe size. This you do yourself by following the included instructions. I didn't have to do this because my foot fits their size E exactly. Yayyy!
Of course aftermarket insoles are no substitution for good shoes. And I do not consider these to be a permanent solution. Your foot has many arches, these appear to support only the big very noticeable one. Which is one more than most insoles and most shoes. There are shoe manufacturers that support your whole foot. For example Footprints, Birkenstock, Tatami, Finn Comfort, and Dansko. There are a few others as well. But only a few. If you just gotta have your favorite style and can't find them in one of the above brands, then you would do well to put a pair of Superfeet insoles into them.
Birkenstock also makes several 3/4 arch support insoles out of cork. Cork is reputed to be better than plastic because it molds itself to your foot over time, is environmentally friendly, and totally renewable. But I've not tried them yet because I needed a full length insole.
In short, Superfeet aren't great. But they are better than 95% of what's out there right now.
Designed for slim, tighter-fitting footwear, Superfeet BLACK is intended for people with extra-sensitive flat feet who have difficulty wearing support...More at Nordstrom
Designed primarily for footwear with a removable insole, Superfeet GREEN provides maximum support and shock absorption. Ideal for Medium to High arch ...More at Nordstrom
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