What Shoes Are Best for Neuropathy?

Why shoes matter with neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that changes what you feel in your feet: numbness, tingling, burning, or a feeling like you're wearing socks when you're not. Diabetes is the most common cause, but far from the only one. Whatever the cause, it changes what a shoe has to do:

• You may not feel pressure or rubbing. A tight spot or a seam can cause a blister or sore before you notice anything.
• Your balance can suffer. Less feeling from the soles of your feet means less information about where you're standing.
• Your feet can change. Neuropathy often comes with changes in foot shape, swelling or muscle loss, so last year's size may not be this year's.

So the goal is a shoe that protects your feet, steadies you, and fits correctly without relying on how it feels.

What to look for in shoes for neuropathy

• Room and depth. A roomy toe box and enough depth that nothing presses on the toes or the top of the foot, including room for an insole if you need one.
• A smooth, seam-free lining. Run your hand around the inside. Seams, stitching and rough edges are where sores start.
• A soft, padded upper that gives instead of digging in, with a padded collar and tongue.
• A cushioned but stable sole. Enough cushioning to protect the bottom of the foot, but not so soft that the shoe wobbles when you stand.
• A rocker sole. It rolls you forward through each step, which takes pressure off the ball of the foot and toes.
• A firm heel counter and a wide, flat base. These hold the foot steady and help balance.
• A secure, adjustable closure. Laces or hook-and-loop straps keep the foot from sliding around, and let you adjust for swelling during the day.
• A protective toe and a sturdy sole that won't let a sharp object through.
• A removable insole. It makes room for an orthotic or a custom insert.

How to check fit when you can't feel it

This is where neuropathy is different from every other condition on our site. When feeling is reduced, "it feels fine" isn't a reliable test, so use these instead:

• Get measured every time you buy. Length and width can change as neuropathy progresses. We measure both feet on a Brannock device and with a free 3D scan.
• Check the shoe, not your foot. Press the upper over the toes and the widest part of the foot: it should have a little give. The ball of your foot should sit at the widest part of the shoe.
• Feel inside before you put it on. Run your hand around the inside for seams, labels, folds or anything that's fallen in.
• Shop later in the day, when feet are at their largest, and bring the socks and any insoles or orthotics you'll wear.
• Check your feet after. Wear new shoes for short stretches at first, then take them off and look for red marks, especially on the toes, the ball of the foot and the heel. Redness that doesn't fade within about 20 minutes means the shoe is pressing.

Shoes to avoid with neuropathy

• Going barefoot, indoors or out, and thin-soled slippers that won't stop a sharp object.
• Flip-flops and thong sandals. The toe post rubs, the open sides expose the foot, and gripping with your toes to keep them on is hard with reduced feeling.
• Pointed, narrow or shallow shoes that press on the toes or the top of the foot.
• High heels. They load the front of the foot and make balance harder.
• Loose slip-ons and backless scuffs. If your foot slides around or the shoe can slip off, it rubs, and it can trip you.
• Very soft, wobbly soles that feel cushy but make it harder to stand steady.
• Shoes you plan to "break in." A shoe that presses on day one can cause a sore you won't feel.

Shoes for neuropathy by situation

Sneakers and walking shoes

For most people with neuropathy, a cushioned, roomy walking shoe or sneaker with a rocker sole is the everyday answer. Brands like Brooks, HOKA and New Balance make well-cushioned shoes, many in wide and extra-wide widths. If laces are hard to manage, look for hook-and-loop straps or a slip-on sneaker with a firm heel that holds your foot.

Start here: Men's walking · Women's walking · Men's slip-on sneakers · Women's slip-on sneakers

Slippers and house shoes

Many foot injuries with neuropathy happen at home, barefoot. A house shoe with a closed toe, a back or heel strap, and a firm, non-slip sole protects your feet and helps you stay steady. Skip the thin, backless kind.

Start here: Men's slippers · Women's slippers

Boots and work shoes

Look for a roomy toe box, a padded collar, a smooth lining and no stiff seams across the toes or the top of the foot. Feel inside before every wear: boots hide pebbles and folds well.

Start here: Men's boots · Women's boots

Sandals

If you wear sandals, choose a closed toe or a protective front, a back strap, and straps that adjust and don't cross a pressure point. Women's sandals from Revere, for example, adjust at several straps, which helps if your feet swell during the day.

Start here: Women's backstrap sandals · Men's sandals

Neuropathy and balance

Many people with neuropathy notice they feel less steady, especially in the dark or on uneven ground. Shoes can help: a firm heel counter, a wide and flat base, a sole that grips, and a closure that holds your foot securely. Very thick, soft or narrow soles can make it harder to feel steady. If you've fallen or feel unsteady, tell your doctor; balance is worth treating on its own.

Socks and insoles

• Socks: seam-free or flat-seamed, moisture-wicking, with a top that doesn't dig into the leg. Light colors make it easier to spot a problem.
• Insoles: a smooth, cushioned insole spreads pressure across the foot. If you've been prescribed an orthotic or custom insert, bring it when you shop, so the shoe has room for it.

Neuropathy and diabetes

Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy in the feet, and it adds its own risks: slower healing and, for some people, reduced circulation. If you have diabetes, everything on this page applies, and so does the advice on our shoes for diabetic feet page.

How we fit shoes for neuropathy

We don't rely on how a shoe feels to you. We measure both feet on a Brannock device, including the heel-to-ball length we start from, and with a free 3D foot scan whose pressure map shows where you're loading your feet. Then we check each shoe by hand for room over the toes and across the widest part of the foot, look inside for seams, and you walk in them, on our in-store treadmill if you like. Bring the shoes you wear now, plus any insoles or orthotics: where they've worn tells us a lot.

If your podiatrist or doctor has written a prescription, the Certified Pedorthist (CPed) on our staff can fill most foot-related prescriptions. You pay the store directly. We don't bill insurance or Medicare, and we accept HSA and FSA cards.

What we won't do is hand you a single "best shoe for neuropathy." The right one depends on your feet, your balance and what you need the shoe for. Here's why →

When to see a podiatrist or your doctor

Neuropathy should be looked after by a doctor, and shoes are one part of that. See a podiatrist or your doctor promptly if:

• You find a blister, cut, sore or crack that isn't healing
• Part of your foot is red, warm, swollen or changing color
• Your foot changes shape, or numbness spreads
• You've fallen, or feel unsteady
• You have diabetes and haven't had a foot exam this year

If you're given a treatment plan, orthotics or a prescription for footwear, bring it in. We'll fit shoes that work with it.