What's Actually Happening

A high arch is a rigid foot. It doesn't flatten out to absorb shock the way a lower arch does, so impact goes straight up through the heel and the ball with nothing in between to share the load.

That's why high arches tend to bring:

• Burning or aching under the ball of the foot
• Calluses under the ball and at the heel, and nowhere else
• Arch strain — the arch working hard with no support underneath it
• Ankles that roll outward, and a history of sprains
• Pressure across the top of the foot from laces
• Feet that are just tired out of proportion to the day you had

The Mistake Almost Everyone Makes

People with high arches often end up in a stability or motion-control shoe, because that's what gets recommended for "arch problems."

Those shoes are built for feet that roll inward. A high arch rolls outward. Putting a supinated foot in a motion-control shoe pushes it further to the outside edge, which is the opposite of what you need.

What a high arch actually wants is cushion and contact — a footbed that fills in under the arch so your weight spreads across the whole foot instead of piling onto two spots. Neutral shoes with real cushioning, not correction.

The Other Thing Nobody Tells You: Lacing

High arches usually come with a high instep, and standard lacing presses right across the top of the foot. People assume the shoe is too small and size up, which makes the length wrong and doesn't fix the pressure.

The fix is usually the lacing pattern — skipping the eyelets over the sore spot to open a window across the instep. Takes two minutes and it solves the problem more often than a different shoe does. Ask us and we'll show you on your own shoes.

The Brands That Work

Athletic & everyday

• HOKAMaximum cushioning and a smooth rocker. Our first stop for a rigid, high-arched foot.
  Women's · Men's · Kids
• OnLightweight cushioning without correction built in.
  Women's · Men's · Kids
• ASICSAsk for the neutral models, not the stability ones. The Nimbus is the one for a high arch.
  Women's · Men's
• New BalanceNeutral cushioned models, plus the widest range of widths we carry — a high arch often needs depth as much as width.
  Women's · Men's
• AltraWide toe box and a neutral platform. Good for a foot that doesn't want steering.
  Women's · Men's

Comfort & all-day support

• BirkenstockThe contoured footbed fills right in under a high arch, and the deep heel cup holds you.
  Women's · Men's
• SASContoured footbeds and real depth for a high instep. Handcrafted in Texas.
  Women's · Men's
• NaotCork and latex footbeds that mold to your arch over time.
  Women's · Men's
• DanskoStability for long shifts on hard floors, with a contoured footbed.
  Women's · Men's
• TaosCasual styles with real support built in.
  Women's · Men's

Dress

• AmberjackA dress shoe with cushioning underneath. Rare in a dress shoe, and exactly what a rigid foot needs.
  Men's

Made by us

• VieuxDesigned in New Orleans, handcrafted in Portugal. Real support underneath, and you can't get these anywhere else.
  Women's · Men's
• Jax & BardOur own comfort sandals — contoured footbed, adjustable straps for a high instep.
  Shop Jax & Bard

Come Get Measured

Free, no appointment, four locations. Don't see your size or width? Call 504-910-2900 — we can usually order it.

Arch Length Matters More Here

With a high arch, the support has to sit exactly where your foot bends. An inch off in either direction and it either does nothing or presses in the wrong place.

That's why we measure arch length, not just foot length — two people who wear the same size can bend in different places. It's the measurement almost nobody has ever had taken, and it's the one that decides whether a support helps or annoys you.

How We Fit You

1. We measure both feet — length, width, and arch length
2. You step on the Harris mat and we read the imprint together
3. We watch you walk to see how the foot loads and whether it rolls out
4. We pull neutral, cushioned shoes and check the arch of the shoe against the arch of your foot
5. We sort the lacing if the instep is an issue, and you walk in the shoe before you buy

Free, no appointment, at all four stores. More on how we fit.

Bring your current shoes. A high-arched foot wears a shoe out on the outside edge, and that pattern confirms what the mat shows.

Also Worth a Look

Flat feet · Plantar fasciitis · On your feet all day · Narrow shoes · Arch supports

FAQ

How do I know if I have high arches?

Wet your foot and step on concrete. If the print shows heel and ball with a thin strip or nothing connecting them, that's a high arch. Come in and we'll do it properly on the mat.

Should I buy a stability shoe?

Usually not. Stability shoes correct for rolling inward, and a high arch tends to roll outward. Neutral and cushioned is generally the better direction.

Why does the top of my foot hurt?

Often the laces pressing on a high instep, not the shoe being too small. Sizing up rarely helps. A different lacing pattern usually does.

Do I need arch supports?

Often they help more with a high arch than with any other foot type, because there's real space to fill. But we'll tell you if the shoe alone is enough.

What if you don't have my size in stock?

We can usually special order it. Call 504-910-2900 with the style and size, or come in and we'll sort it at the counter.

Do you carry wide?

Yes. Wide and 2E in most brands, 4E in select New Balance, and up to triple wide in SAS. A high arch often needs more depth than width — bring the socks you wear and we'll sort it.

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