I took expert advice from Dr. Tulpule and Chrysta Irolla, director of prosthetics and orthotics at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and found the best athletic and dressier options on the market. I spent time testing six pairs while working at a standing desk for most of the day, which I evaluated based on the heel-to-toe drop, arch type, cushioning, and style.
What To Consider
Heel-To-Toe Drop
As Dr. Tulpule said, you want something with a slightly elevated heel, whether it’s a sneaker or dressier shoe, to help take the pressure off your plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, and Irolla agrees. Many active adults have limited ankle range of motion (ROM), which puts stress on the midfoot muscles, Irolla says. To “cheat” that ROM and relieve stress and pressure, she recommends, adding a little bit of heel height—around 10 millimeters—to shift where the range of motion is coming from.
Arch Type
When purchasing shoes for standing all day, you want to look for specific support for your arch type, whether it’s low, medium, or high—similar to running shoes, says Irolla. It’s pretty easy to tell what type of arch you have simply by looking at it from the side in the mirror. If you have no space between the floor and your foot, it’s low, if you have a lot, that’s high, and somewhere in the middle is medium. Irolla notes those with flatter arches are more susceptible to pain, swelling, and discomfort, which makes choosing the right shoe even more crucial. However, as most of the shoes on this list are for medium and higher arches, you can always consider adding an insole if you have low arches, Dr. Tulpule points out.
Cushion
Irolla says cushioning is your friend when it comes to standing all day Look for words like “maximum cushioning” when shopping for athletic shoes, for example, although some dress shoes offer cushion these days, too.
Style
It’s important to consider where you’re going to wear these shoes since sneakers don’t go with everything. Dr. Tulpule counseled a patient who works on Capital Hill, for example, on dressier footwear options. Remember: The key is to avoid completely flat shoes and go for something with a slight wedge or block heel for comfort. We have a couple of options on this list that fit the bill, including the Cole Haan Christyn Penny Loafer and Sorel Joan Now City Loafer.
Irolla agrees that you don’t necessarily have to wear a sneaker, although a sneaker with more compressible foam material will provide more shock absorption, which is particularly important for people with a higher arch.
Size
“The shoe size that you buy should be able to accommodate the swelling that’s going to occur as you progress through your day,” Irolla says. She suggests trying on shoes after your full day of work when they’re more likely to be swollen to ensure you’re getting the right size and also highlights you should have at least a half inch of room between the end of your longest toe and the end of your shoe. Width is important, too: “You should not be able to easily identify where your first toe and your fifth toe are,” she says. “If you can see little bumps where your first and fifth toe are, [the shoe is] too narrow.”
How We Selected
Our team tests a wide range of products and services to provide our readers with reliable, honest, and trustworthy information. It’s our belief that our readers deserve the best, which is why my recommendations have been thoroughly tested and vetted by our own editors.
I’m a Women’s Health contributor, health and fitness writer, and editor with over a decade of experience. I researched and tested several shoes for standing all day approved by experts, in addition to consulting foot health experts and podiatrists to help narrow down the best shoes for standing all day for a wide range of needs.
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1
Best Overall Shoe For Standing All Day
Hoka Transport GTX
Dr. Tulpule’s favorite shoe for standing all day is the Hoka Transport GTX for its impeccable cushioning and support, and I agree. “ It’s billed as a “neutral” shoe, which is best for those with normal to medium arches, like me (although you can always put insoles in them to support lower arches.) They’re designed to be a commuter shoe and are best for activities like walking and hiking or, you know, standing all day.
Personally, my favorite feature is the quick-toggle lace (these are laces that don’t tighten or loosen unless you push down the lock) that makes these kicks so easy to slip on. The “invisible” GORE-TEX fabric makes it weatherproof without looking like it’s weather-proof, which can come in handy if you’re commuting in rain or snow.
Hoka also has a *very* cool virtual try-on experience that allows you to see how the shoes look on your own feet. I’m partial to the cosmic pearl colorway that I would totally wear with an exercise dress or jeans. FWIW: They weigh 10 ounces, which is slightly heavier than the other two athletic shoes on this list. But, they didn’t feel overly heavy on my feet while walking to get lunch at Sweetgreen and standing at my desk most of the day.
Read more: Best Walking Shoes
| Sizes | 5—11 |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Arch type | Neutral |
2
Best Running Shoe For Standing All Day
Asics Gel-Nimbus 27
This Asics Gel-Nimbus series comes with Dr. Tulpule’s blessing and is one of my all-time favorite running shoes. I’ve run a marathon or two in different iterations and, these days, they’re my tried and true long-run shoes.
But that’s not all—they’re also the shoes I turn to if I know I’m going to be on my feet for most of the day. Why? They check all of the experts’ boxes, including an 8-millimeter drop, maximum cushioning, and neutral support. These work well for my medium-height arches, but the company also says they’re good for those with high arches.
The latest version, the Gel-Nimbus 27, drops in January but you can preorder it now. It has an extra two millimeters of cushioning compared to the 26. Also, the toe box feels roomier to me, which I appreciate as someone with a slightly wider foot. Despite them being a running shoe, these are beneficial for most people standing all day since, as Irolla pointed out, feet tend to swell after you’ve been on ‘em for a while.
They come in 12 colorways, but I’m partial to the classic black and white, which makes them more versatile to pair with jeans and wear outside of running. At 9.3 ounces, they’re the lightest athletic shoe (even if by a mere .2 ounces) on our list even considering all that cushion!
| Sizes | 5—13 |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8mm |
| Arch type | Neutral |
3
Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoe For Standing All Day
lululemon Beyondfeel Running Shoe
Pros
- Higher heel-to-toe
- Doubles as a running shoe
- Designed specifically for womens’ feet
Cons
- Less cushion compared to other shoes on this list
We love that lululemon’s footwear collection is specifically designed for women’s feet. The Beyondfeel running shoe, for example, has an extra two millimeters of foam in the forefoot to support the way a woman’s foot lands, per the brand.
At 10 millimeters, it has a higher drop than the other two athletic options on this list, which could better help keep pressure off your plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. And, even with the higher heel-to-toe drop, this shoe feels a little more grounded since you’re not standing on quite as much of a cushioned stack compared to the Gel-Nimbus. It’s nice this is also a twofer in that you can run in it—I’d personally use it for 5K and 10K distances.
| Sizes | 5—12 |
|---|---|
| Heel-to-toe drop | 10mm |
| Arch type | Neutral |
4
Best Loafer For Standing All Day
Cole Haan Christyn Penny Loafers
Dr. Tulpule often recommends this brand to her patients, and it makes sense since Cole Haan is known for merging comfort and style. This penny loafer, for example, has pinked edges and classic penny keepers, while also offering multiple layers of foam for a plush cushioned feel.
As soon as I put them on, I was surprised at how comfortable they felt all around. The material felt smooth against my bare feet and I could definitely feel those multiple layers of foam underfoot. It kinda feels like your feet are on a memory foam mattress. I’d wear these with anything from a dress or skirt to jeans and think they’d look just as cute with ankle socks. The rubber outsole provides traction in case you’re in a slick-floored environment. FYI: The company suggests sizing down by half a size if you have a narrow foot or lower instep. I wore them for a full day while working from home and forgot I wasn’t wearing my typical sneakers or slides. The only time I kinda would have preferred a sneaker was when I went out on a longer coffee walk and, while not uncomfortable, was aware I was wearing a dressier shoe.
| Sizes | 5—11 |
|---|---|
| Heel height | 1 in. |
| Arch type | Neutral |
5
Best Wedge For Standing All Day
Birkenstock Mary Wedge Sandal
Pros
- Comfortable footbed
- Heel hugging for extra stability
Cons
- Needs to be broken in
Birkenstock is perhaps the OG comfort-shoe-turned-cult-style-icon. While they’re known for their flatter sandals and slides, they also have a range of wedge shoes that also come with a heel counter, which Dr. Tulpule notes is important for all-day comfort. For context, a heel counter is a piece of material that hugs the heel for extra stability.
While testing these out, one of the first things I noticed was how the footbed (designed to feel like you’re standing in sand)hugged my arch, just like my favorite Birkenstock Gizehs. They felt even more comfortable after a couple of days of wear, meaning they benefited from a break-in period. The sole formed more to my foot on the later days of testing and the upper part of the front of the shoe softened and didn’t bother the tops of my feet (which I was initially a little concerned might happen).
Perhaps the best part of these cute kicks is that they’re versatile. I could see myself wearing them with a dress in the summer or spring with a pair of frilly ankle socks.
| Sizes | 5—11.5 |
|---|---|
| Heel height | 1.6 in. |
| Arch type | Neutral |
6
Best Dress Shoe For Standing All Day
Sorel Joan Now City Loafer
Pros
- Comfy despite high heel
- Waterproof material
- Good traction for various surfaces
Cons
- Make a slight squeaky sound on certain surfaces
I personally love a Sorel shoe. I have a couple of pairs of the brand’s heeled boots for winter and get compliments on them every time I wear them. Most importantly, they are all so comfy. This loafer iteration has a removable foam footbed topped with canvas (so you could probably slip your own custom insole in if you prefer), the outer fabric is waterproof, and the bottoms are rubber which provides traction.
Even with an extra inch, these were truly no less comfortable standing all day at my computer than the Cole Haans. And at 5’3, I love a little bit of a heel, especially if I have an in-person meeting. I’d wear these with a variety of dressy and casual outfits, too, from dresses to jeans. I also ran a couple of errands in them and my only complaint is that their rubber bottoms make a slight squeaky noise on hardwood floors.
| Sizes | 5—12 |
|---|---|
| Heel height | 2 in. |
| Arch type | Neutral |
How can I strengthen my feet for standing all day?
Outside of footwear, Irolla points to strength training as an important way for people who stand most of the day to improve posture and support their joints. “Targeted strength training two to three times a week to train the abdominal, low back, and hip muscles will enable you to have a better posture while you’re walking around, and that’ll reduce the stress on your joints,” Irolla says. “The more weight-bearing activities you can do that keep those muscles strong, the better for your body.”
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