If you have flat feet, consider these types of athletic shoes for your sport according to Shape magazine. Flat feet can be a source of foot, shin, hip and back pain, especially if you are build asymmetrically as many of us are. Those of us who have flat or overpronated feet do best with a straight last. The last is the bottom of the shoe. A straight last has little or no curve on the bottom of it. Those with high arches may do best with a curved last. As you can see in this picture, going from right to left, the last or bottom of the shoe is less curved with a straight last. It is also less flexible. The right side features a control shoe with more of a curved last. High arches are less flexible, while most low or flat feet are more flexible, however, some of us with flat feet have very inflexible flat arches. Typically, those of us who have a low or flat arch need more stability vs. those of us who have high arches which are very stiff require less support usually. These are typical guidelines however, many people are built asymmetrically and have two types of feet. Recently, Shape magazine suggested a few shoes that are ideal for those of us who have flat feet. Flat feet can be flexible or inflexible. Those with a flexible flat arch can tolerate running shoes and sandals that have built in arches or correction. Those of us whose feet are flat and stiff will find an arch that is too high to be painful and unwearable. Asymmetrically built people need to have the correction of a foot orthotic in their shoe because their foot asymmetry will also cause asymmetry in the core, hips and back and can result in many preventable knee, hip and foot problems, as well as back pain. It is important to realize that those of you with inflexible flat arches may do best with a specific shoe and a custom arch support, since most manufacturers of off the shelf inserts do not have good choices for people with stiff flat arches. You can improve the arch and the muscles that support the foot by performing exercises such as foot drills which can be found here. For others, some of the suggestions made by Shape magazine may work well for you and improve your level of comfort in your feet, legs and back if you have flat feet.. Read more below How to Find the Best Workout Shoes for Flat Feet If you have flat feet, any old shoe just won't do—especially for your workouts. By Isadora Baum | Jun 21, 2018 If you're a fitness addict, you can probably relate: You order a new pair of shoes that look soooo cute online, but just a few minutes into HIIT class, they're squeezing and cramping your toes or causing your heels to ache. While this online shopping fail is super relatable, it likely speaks to you especially if you have flat feet—which is about 8 percent of U.S. adults, according to a 2012 survey by the Institute for Preventative Foot Health. But what are flat feet, exactly, and what does that mean for your fitness (and shoe shopping) routine? Here, expert tips for dealing with flat feet, plus which sneakers are your best bets for happy arches. What Are Flat Feet, Anyway? A "normal" foot has a medium-to-high arch and an imprint of the heel and ball of the foot. (An imprint is basically what would show up if you dipped the bottom of your foot in paint and then made a footprint on the floor.) Flat feet overpronate (when your foot rolls inward) and have a very low arch with a full imprint. You can tell if you have flat feet if the arch of your foot touches the ground when you walk, and/or if your ankle leans inward while you're walking, says Dana Canuso, M.D., podiatric surgeon and founder of Dr. Canuso Skincare for Feet in Marlton, NJ. Read more