Orleans Shoe Co. — Confidence Starts at Ground Level
Balance & Stability Shoes in New Orleans & Metairie
Staying steady on your feet matters at every age. We carry shoes built for balance, stability, and comfort — a stable base, real heel hold, and room for a foot that has changed shape over the years. Fitted in person, at all four stores.
The thing most people get wrong
Your Size Changed
Feet flatten and spread over time. Most people are still buying the size they wore twenty years ago, in a width that stopped fitting a while back. A shoe that's too short or too narrow makes you shuffle. We measure both feet every time you come in — free, and it takes a minute.
What Actually Makes a Shoe Feel Unsteady
A worn-out outsole
This is the one nobody checks. The rubber goes smooth long before the shoe looks worn out, and a smooth sole on a wet sidewalk or a tile floor is a problem. Flip your shoes over. If the tread is gone at the heel and the ball, that shoe is done.
A heel that's too high or too soft
A tall heel puts you forward. A heel that's too soft lets your ankle roll side to side with every step. Neither gives you a base to stand on. Low and firm feels steadier than thick and squishy, even though thick and squishy feels better in the store.
A loose heel
If your heel lifts and slides inside the shoe, your foot is moving before the shoe is. That's what makes people feel wobbly, and it usually means the shoe is too big or too wide at the back — often because someone sized up to get room in the toes.
Slippers and backless shoes at home
Most people spend the most time on their feet at home, in the shoe with the least support. A backless slipper has nothing holding it on, so your toes grip to keep it there and your gait changes. Worth having something with a back and a real sole for around the house.
Swelling
Feet swell over the course of a day, more in this heat, and more with certain medications. A shoe that fits at 10am and cuts into you by 4pm isn't the right shoe. Come in later in the day if your feet swell — we'll fit you where you actually live.
What Makes Stability Shoes Different
- Stable base to keep the foot properly aligned
- Good heel hold so the foot isn't moving inside the shoe
- Cushioning to reduce joint stress without going mushy
- Supportive arch structure for a solid platform
- Multiple widths — wide and 2E in most brands, 4E in select styles
- Easy on and off for anyone who can't comfortably bend down to tie laces
Brands Built for Steady Footing
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SAS Handcrafted in Texas. Stable base, secure heel, and widths from slim through triple wide. Most of what's on this page.
Women's · Men's -
Kizik Hands-free. Step in without bending down or using a shoehorn. For a lot of our customers this is the whole answer.
Women's · Men's -
New Balance Excellent stability and the widest range of actual widths we carry.
Women's · Men's -
Ahnu Cushioned support on a stable platform.
Women's · Men's -
Drew Therapeutic depth footwear for hard-to-fit feet, with removable footbeds.
Women's · Men's -
Altra Wide toe box and a level platform, which some people find steadier.
Women's · Men's
Browse the styles below, or come in and we'll measure you. Free, no appointment, four locations. Don't see your size or width? Call 504-910-2900 — we can usually order it.
Professional Fitting
We check balance and foot alignment, width and length for proper stability, heel security and toe room, and cushioned support for comfort. We measure both feet — one is almost always bigger — and take a free foot impression on the Harris mat to see how you load the foot. Then you walk in the shoe before you buy. More on how we fit.
If the imprint shows the arch needs more than the shoe gives, we'll talk about custom fitted arch supports. We'll also tell you when you don't need them.
