The 60-second foot pain check
Five quick checks that narrow down where your foot pain is coming from, and what usually helps. You can do all of it from where you are sitting.
The short answer
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Five checks, in order, and what each answer points to
Foot pain narrows down faster than most people expect. You do not need a diagnosis to make a sensible decision about support, you need to know two things: where it hurts, and when it hurts.
Work through the five checks below in order. Each one rules something out. Together they take about a minute, and you can do all of it from where you are sitting.
None of this is a medical diagnosis. Some answers point away from insoles entirely, and where they do, this page says so.
Where exactly does it hurt?
Press with your thumb and find the spot. Be specific, because a few centimetres changes the answer.
- Underneath the heel — heel pain or plantar fasciitis
- Along the arch — arch pain
- Ball of the foot, just behind the toes — metatarsalgia
- Between the third and fourth toes, burning or numb — Morton's neuroma
- Back of the heel, running up the tendon — Achilles tendonitis
- Side of the big toe joint — bunions
- Shins, knees or lower back — shin splints, knee pain or lower back pain, which often start further down
Pain in more than one of these is common and does not mean more than one problem. A single alignment issue can show up in several places at once.
When is it worst?
This tells you more than location does. Pick the one that sounds most like your day.
First few steps in the morning, then it eases
The classic plantar fasciitis pattern. The tissue tightens overnight and complains when you load it cold. It usually settles within a few minutes of walking.
Builds through the day, worst by evening
More often a support problem than an injury. The foot copes early and fatigues as the hours add up, which is why it tends to be worse on long days on hard floors.
Only during or after exercise
More often load, surface or footwear than the foot itself. Worth looking at how far, how often, what you run or walk on, and how old the shoes are.
Constant, including at night
This is not the pattern insoles address. Pain that does not ease when you take the weight off needs a professional look rather than a product.
If the checks point to a support problem, start with the shoes you actually wear
All three use the same podiatrist-designed correction. The only real difference is how much room the shoe has. A good orthotic in a shoe too tight for it feels bulky and unstable, and that is the pair that ends up in a drawer.
I mostly wearSneakers, walking shoes or work boots
Roomier footwear with enough internal volume for a fuller, more structured insert. The better starting point for standing, walking and work.
I mostly wearLoafers, slip-ons or dress shoes
Tighter everyday footwear with less interior space. Structured support in a lower profile that still fits the shoe you leave the house in.
I mostly wearHeels, pumps, sandals or slim flats
Shoes where space is especially limited. The slimmest of the three, and still real arch support rather than a cushion.
Checking a child's feet? Jump to Footminders KIDS, sized for growing feet rather than trimmed down from an adult insole.
Two tests you can do right now, and one worth doing in a mirror
These are screening checks, not a diagnosis. They tell you whether the foot is staying aligned or collapsing inward once it lands.
3. The shoe tilt check
Put both shoes on a flat surface and look from behind. Wear on the outside of the heel is normal on its own. It becomes meaningful when the heel also leans inward, or the inside forefoot shows wear.
4. The wet footprint test
Wet the sole of one foot, step onto paper or a dark floor, and look at the print. Almost the whole foot printing suggests a low arch. A narrow band between heel and forefoot is a normal arch. Barely any connection suggests a high arch, which usually wants cushioning rather than correction.
Heel alignment, if you have a mirror
Stand barefoot and look at your heels from behind. If they visibly fall inward, that is another clue the foot is not staying well aligned under load.
How old are those shoes?
This is the check people skip, and it is the one that most often explains the pain. Most walking and running shoes lose their structural support somewhere between 300 and 500 miles, long before they look worn out. If a pair is over a year old and you wear it most days, it is probably finished. No insole fixes a dead shoe.
If your shoes are sound but the pain is still there, the pattern below is what to look for.
Signs the shoe is breaking down from inward collapse
- Outside heel wear plus heavier wear through the inside forefoot
- The arch side of the shoe looks flattened or caved inward
- One shoe collapses noticeably faster than the other
- The ankle appears to drift inward while walking
- The shoe stands crooked when placed on a flat surface
What the answers usually mean
If your pain builds through the day and eases overnight, and your shoes show that inward-collapse pattern, you are most likely looking at a support problem rather than an injury.
Add structure, not softness
A firm arch and a deep heel cup stop the foot rolling inward. Soft feels good in the shop and does very little three hours into a day on your feet.
Match the insole to the shoe
This is where most people get it wrong. Shoe volume matters more than the label on the box, which is why the selector above asks what you wear rather than what hurts.
Give it a fortnight
The arch will feel too high at first. That is a structured orthotic doing its job, not a sizing error. Build up over a week rather than wearing them through a full day straight away.
The three options, and who each one is for
All three use the same podiatrist-designed correction. The difference is how much room your shoes have.
COMFORT Orthotic Insoles
Best for: sneakers, walking shoes, work boots and roomier lace-up footwear
- Full-length support for shoes with more internal space
- Helps stabilise the heel and reduce inward roll
- Strong choice for standing, walking and everyday use
30-day satisfaction guarantee
CASUAL Orthotic Insoles
Best for: dress shoes, loafers, slip-ons, moccasins and tighter everyday footwear
- Lower profile support for limited interior space
- Structured arch support without the bulk under the forefoot
- Strong daily option for office and dress shoes
30-day satisfaction guarantee
CATWALK Orthotic Insoles
Best for: heels, pumps, sandals and slim flats where space is especially limited
- Arch support in a noticeably slimmer profile
- Fits shoes that will not take a fuller insole
- For when Casual still feels too bulky in the shoe
30-day satisfaction guarantee
Not sure yet? Browse the full orthotic insoles collection and use the shoe-type rule above as your filter.
Running this check on a child?
Most of it does not translate. A child will not tell you their pain builds through the day, and asking where it hurts usually gets you a shrug. Watch instead: whether they stop wanting to wear particular shoes, whether shoes break down unevenly on the inside, and whether they complain of tired legs after school or sport rather than of foot pain.
Quick parent check: watch your child stand naturally, then take a few steps. If the heels tilt inward, the ankles roll in, or one shoe collapses faster than the other, added support may help.
When to stop reading this and see a professional
Please see a podiatrist or your doctor rather than buying anything if you have:
- Pain that is constant, including at night
- Pain getting worse week on week
- Numbness, tingling or any loss of sensation
- Sudden severe pain, or you cannot put weight on the foot
- Swelling, redness or heat in the foot
- Any foot problem at all, if you have diabetes
Insoles help a great many people. They are not a substitute for a proper look at your feet, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Frequently asked
Can I really work out what is wrong in a minute?
You can work out enough to make a sensible next decision, which is not the same thing. These five checks separate the common mechanical patterns from the ones that need a professional. They do not diagnose anything, and they are not meant to.
My pain is in two places at once. Does that mean two problems?
Usually not. A single alignment problem often shows up in several places, which is why arch fatigue, heel soreness and knee discomfort so often turn up together. Answer the checks for the spot that bothers you most.
My shoes wear on the outside heel. Is that overpronation?
Not on its own. Most people land on the outside of the heel and mild wear there is normal. It only becomes meaningful alongside inward shoe tilt, inside forefoot wear, or one shoe collapsing faster than the other. There is a fuller explanation on reading your shoe wear.
The wet footprint test showed a high arch. Do I still need support?
Possibly, but a different kind. High arches generally want cushioning and shock absorption more than correction, because the foot is already rigid. Structured arch support helps low and collapsing arches most.
How do I choose between Comfort, Casual and Catwalk?
Start with the shoe you wear most, not the condition you think you have. Comfort suits sneakers and work boots. Casual suits dress shoes and tighter everyday footwear. Catwalk is the slimmest, for heels, pumps, sandals and slim flats.
How long before they feel normal?
For most people, about a week. The arch will feel too high at first because it is a structured orthotic rather than a cushion. Start with one to two hours on day one and build up rather than wearing them through a full day straight away.
General information only. This page does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment advice. If pain is persistent, worsening or affects walking, a professional evaluation is smarter than guessing.
