{"id":5323,"date":"2019-02-25T19:25:36","date_gmt":"2019-02-25T19:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/?p=5323"},"modified":"2023-05-16T07:09:22","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T14:09:22","slug":"why-is-arch-support-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/why-is-arch-support-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Arch Support Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-large wp-image-5353\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/RS16640_03_Vionic_Caroll_Snyder_DUO_0564-lpr-854x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"465\" height=\"558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/RS16640_03_Vionic_Caroll_Snyder_DUO_0564-lpr-854x1024.jpg 854w, https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/RS16640_03_Vionic_Caroll_Snyder_DUO_0564-lpr-250x300.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/RS16640_03_Vionic_Caroll_Snyder_DUO_0564-lpr-768x921.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/RS16640_03_Vionic_Caroll_Snyder_DUO_0564-lpr.jpg 1668w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/>Have you heard of the term arch support but wondered what arch support is? Maybe you\u2019ve questioned, \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is arch support important?\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you need arch support<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d? If that\u2019s the case, you are far from alone. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we\u2019ll educate you on <\/span><b>how <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the arch of the foot works, the<\/span><b> history <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the grounds we tread on and how they relate to the arches of your feet, the <\/span><b>consequences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of improper arch support, and the <\/span><b>benefits <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of wearing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/womens-shoes\">arch support shoes<\/a>. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about how we use\u00a0three-zone comfort technology to create our supportive shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lowdown on the Arch of the Foot<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we dive into why good arch support is important to have in your footwear, first let\u2019s take a moment to walk through how the arch of the foot works and why it\u2019s important to both your mobility and comfort. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you know that the arch is one of the most important structural elements of the feet? The foot actually has three arches that make up the arch of your foot, each of which is supported by various ligaments and tendons within the feet. The arches of your feet consist of two longitudinal (medial and lateral) arches and one anterior transverse arch. The formation of these arches is made up of both metatarsal and tarsal bones. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The way the arch of your foot is structured makes it act as a spring, allowing it to bear the weight of your body <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and act as <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shock absorption<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that is inflicted on your feet with every step you take. The arches of your feet, while small and delicate visually, bear a huge amount of pressure. With every mile you walk, the arches of your feet bear two hundred thousand to three hundred thousand pounds of stress. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The arches are pivotal parts of movement and properly absorb the pressure our bodies put onto our feet with every stride. The arches of the feet also give your feet flexibility that helps facilitate movements like running and walking. They also help you to adapt to changes in terrain, stabilize movement, create balance,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and to be <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weight bearing<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What is Arch Support?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have a better understanding of the arches of your feet, you might be wondering what arch support is and what it does to help the arches of your feet<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, it\u2019s exactly what it sounds like. Arch support can come in the form of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/orthotics.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">arch support inserts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or be built into the shoe to provide support for the arches of your feet. Arch support protects the arches of your feet from everyday impact of walking on surfaces and helps to eliminate foot pain from such.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you know how the arch of the foot works and what arch support is, we\u2019re going to walk you through how the surfaces we tread on have evolved over time and the ramifications it has on our feet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding The Surfaces We Tread On<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you look back at history, human beings used to have very different lives in nearly every regard. One of the facets of human history that you may not have considered is how the surfaces we tread on have changed over time and the impact those changes have had on our relationship to the surfaces we walk on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Feet Were Designed for Softer Surfaces<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you know that our feet are naturally designed to walk on forgiving surfaces like sand and dirt? When we tread on these soft, forgiving surfaces, our feet gain natural arch support because the dirt and sand contour to our feet, filling in all of the unique curves of our feet. In the past thousand years or so, this has largely changed. We\u2019ve gone from walking on soft surfaces that mold to our footprint to treading primarily on hard, man-made surfaces that are rigid and unforgiving. Examples of these hard, unforgiving surfaces include marble, concrete, tile, and hardwood floors, to name a few. While these surfaces are all beautiful and functional\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for how we currently live, they have really created the opposite environment of the natural surfaces we used to walk on. So why does this difference matter?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Hard Surfaces Cause Stress to Our Feet<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This change in the surfaces we tread on has a noticeable impact on our feet. When we walk on soft, forgiving surfaces, they naturally contour to the feet and hug our natural footprint. However, when we walk on hard, unforgiving surfaces, the ground does not contour at all, which causes our feet to try to contour to the ground. This triggers a chain reaction of collapse that extends from our feet through to our knees and up to our backs. This can cause a number of different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/top-5-foot-problems-treat-vionic-shoes\/\">foot problems<\/a>, as well as discomfort and pain. To prevent this, it is necessary to have proper footwear, no matter the occasion. Whether it&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/men\/dress.html\">comfortable dress shoes<\/a> for a fancy occasion, or a pair of sandals for the beach, make sure you are supported with cushion <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orthotics and<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> arch support<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mimic<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> your natural footprint and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hug<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the unique arch of your feet. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/orthotics.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7178 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BlogBanner_May_JuneArch-Support-Inserts.jpg\" alt=\"shop-arch-support-inserts\" width=\"998\" height=\"234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BlogBanner_May_JuneArch-Support-Inserts.jpg 998w, https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BlogBanner_May_JuneArch-Support-Inserts-300x70.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.vionicshoes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BlogBanner_May_JuneArch-Support-Inserts-768x180.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 998px) 100vw, 998px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>The Downsides of Bad Arch Support<\/h2>\n<p>By now you\u2019re an expert on what the arch of the foot does and how the surfaces we tread on have evolved over time. To understand why good arch support matters, we want to walk you through some of the negative ramifications of not having proper arch support or arch support insoles.<br \/>\nOne of the most common symptoms of improperly supported arches is foot arch pain. Normal Arch pain can develop for a number of different reasons, typically resulting from structural issues or injury to the ligaments, tendons, bones, or muscles that form the arch of the foot. Structural issues of the arch of the foot can also be aggravated by aging, overuse, weight gain, or physical stress. Examples of a structural issue of the arch are flat feet (low arches) or high arches. There are also several common foot conditions that can cause arch pain and be aggravated by improper arch support. Below is a breakdown of a few common conditions that can cause arch pain.<\/p>\n<h3>Overpronation<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overpronation is a term that is used to describe how your foot moves when you walk. If you overpronate when you walk, the outer edge of your heel contacts the ground first and then begins to roll inward onto the arch of your foot. Over time, excess pronation can lead to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the arch being damaged and experiencing arch pain. Overpronation can also cause corns or calluses and knee, hip, or back pain. Wearing proper footwear with arch support helps to correct overpronation and make sure your feet stay stable and aligned with each stride. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Plantar Fasciitis<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most common causes of arch pain is a foot condition called plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia, a ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot, becomes inflamed. What causes this inflammation? The cause of inflammation of the plantar fascia is due to it being stretched too much, which causes stress on the tissue of the foot. When this stretching occurs for an extended period of time, small tears develop on the surface of the plantar fascia, which causes it to become inflamed and uncomfortable. If the stretching and tearing continues, the inflammation,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">irritation, and pain continue to worsen. Wearing shoes without proper arch support place more pressure on the arch of your foot, which can contribute to the development and worsening of this foot condition. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By wearing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/aches-and-pains\/plantar-fasciitis\">shoes for plantar fasciitis<\/a> with proper arch support, the symptoms of plantar fasciitis can be improved by giving the arch the support it needs and alleviating some of the pressure and stretching afflicting the plantar fascia. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shop our collection of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/women\/plantar-fasciitis-shoes.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">plantar fasciitis shoes for women<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/men\/plantar-fasciitis-shoes.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">plantar fasciitis shoes for men<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help treat your pain with shoes designed specifically for your foot problem. Plus, if you\u2019re looking for a variety, we\u2019ve also compiled a list of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/best-boots-for-plantar-fasciitis\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best boots for plantar fasciitis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/slippers-plantar-fasciitis\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">slippers for plantar fasciitis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are just a few examples of potential consequences that can occur when the arch of your foot is not properly supported. Investing in footwear that has the supportive technology to hug your arch can help to prevent the development of common foot problems and associated arch pain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of Footwear with Arch Support<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point in the article, you know the basics on how important the arch of your foot is and how many issues can arise when it doesn\u2019t get the support and shock absorption it needs, but we haven\u2019t introduced you to some of the benefits you can get from wearing supportive, orthopedic footwear. Not only will your arch be supported and your likelihood for developing common arch ailments decreased, but there are also a number of other wonderful benefits that orthopedic footwear impart. Below we\u2019ll walk you through a step by step of how supportive footwear with arch support is better and why it\u2019s worth investing in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Orthopedic shoes can boost your comfort so it feels like you\u2019re walking on clouds.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From women\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/women\/sneakers\/slip-on-sneakers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">slip on sneakers<\/a>\u00a0to men\u2019s boots, we know comfort is one of the most important factors in any piece of footwear. Orthopedic shoes with arch support give your feet the stability and cushioning they need to experience unparalleled comfort. With Vionic, you don\u2019t need to sacrifice style for the comfort you love! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Supportive footwear can help promote blood flow and reduce swelling in your ankles and feet.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many of us suffer from swollen feet, which can cause pain and joint immovability. We know you\u2019ll want relief and comfort as soon as possible. Orthopedic shoes can help deliver just that by helping to improve blood flow by properly aligning your body and reducing the shock your feet experience with each step you take. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Orthopedic shoes can help to reduce foot, arch, and heel pain. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of the pains you experience after wearing a pair of shoes stem from it not having the right supportive features your feet need. For shoes to support your feet properly, they need cushioning that softens the blow to your feet with each step and arch support that helps to hug your natural footprint and prevent injury and strain to the muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons in your feet. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You don\u2019t have to sacrifice style for support, we promise!<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> We know it can seem like you can\u2019t find supportive footwear in all of the styles you love, but at Vionic we\u2019ve built our business around making sure you never have to wear uncomfortable, unsupportive shoes in the name of fashion. We\u2019ve developed all of your favorite, fashion-forward styles with the support built-in so that you can have the comfort of custom <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/women\/slippers.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orthotic slippers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in everything from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/women\/slippers.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">slippers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to high heels. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Find Arch Support In Every Shoe<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We never want you to experience pain and discomfort for the sake of an outfit and with Vionic you never have to again. Our cushioned shoes provide essential stability and addictive support. They have a contour seamlessly engineered into every slipper, sandal, high heel, and shoe to help support your natural alignment from the ground up. Many Vionic shoes carry the American Podiatric Medical Association\u2019s Seal of Acceptance without sacrificing the trendy styles we know you love. We want to make <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/supportive-technology\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">supportive technology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> accessible to everyone so that you never have to feel the pain caused by improper arch support again. It\u2019s easy to see why arch support is so important and we\u2019re here to help make sure your arches always have the support and stability they need! <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you have a low arch, medium arch, or high arch foot, every arch type can benefit from Vionic. Get extra cushioning and proper foot arch support with our orthotic shoes or shoe inserts today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"more-link\" id=\"excerpt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/why-is-arch-support-important\/\">Read More &gt;<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[314],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medical-science-technology","dwtl normal"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5323"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10875,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5323\/revisions\/10875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vionicshoes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}