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Are Cushioned Shoes Harming Your Feet? | Hoka, On, Skechers Explained
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- Published on Mar 6, 2026
- Soft shoes like Hoka, On, and Skechers might feel amazing at first… but they could be the reason your feet ache by the end of the day. In this video, I explain why overly cushioned shoes can actually cause foot pain, and what types of shoes give you the right support instead.
👉 If you’re still wondering what shoe is best for you, check out my video on Top Picks for City Walking here: • The BEST WALKING SHOES...
👉 Want personalised advice? Book a session with me - either in person in Singapore or online if you’re anywhere else in the world: www.paulthepod...
The bottom line: Soft shoes feel good at the start, but firmer, more supportive shoes will help keep your feet happy and pain-free.
The frustrating thing with many shoe models is: once you have found a great shoe for your foot, the manufacturer will change the shoe construction with the next version, so that it is no longer helpful for your foot type.
When every shoe in existence has been HOKA-rized. and the stacks keep getting higher. That said, time to go back to the tried and true classics and wake up re align those foot muscles and tendons.
that’s why Ben Parker (i think) said you should buy multiple pair if you really like the shoe. because they might not have it again next time
Or they get discontinued.
😂😂😂 so true omg
This happened to adidas Boston 12 😢
Shoe recommendation - 6:39
Thanks a lot
Soft shoes caused me to have knee problems. I had also tried sketchers and got terrible shin pain after one day.
When I had really bad foot pain, and the only thing that fixed it was Sketchers Arch support, its like they are moulded for my foot shape. So goes both ways
I started wearing barefoot shoes after a knee replacement. My stability greatly improved.
All the recommended shoes have a drop >10mm, which feels first relaxing for Achilles heel and calves but puts stress on hips and knee. In a longterm it is much more beneficial to gradually get used to a lower drop
Easiest way to find out about arch is to step on a brown grocery bag after stepping in water.
I wore the Cloudsurfer 7s for 2 years at my job and during runs. My ankle joints were in so much pain. Now I wear Kayano 14's and The Kayano 32 when I run. Sometimes, it's good to go back on how shoes are meant to be worn.
By wearing different shoes, you always put a slightly different strain on your feet and legs. This prevents the same muscles and joints from becoming overloaded and you build up more strength and stability.
I have arthritis in my right ankle and foot due to a triple fracture. I trained in and wore Hoka’s on a 6 day 175+ kilometres Camino hike in Spain. They were extremely comfortable and without them I wouldn’t have been able to complete the walk
“Don’t look at it” - you’re late, I already did that😂😂😂
Hi Paul thank you for the amazing video. Could you do a video that talks about causes and recommend shoes for metatarsalgia?
Oh, before you said about ASICS Kayanos I was worried, but now I’m glad, that I have the right pair ☺️
"Memory foam" insoles are NOT support.
high rigid arch person here, also in perimenopause and have severe bottom of the foot pain recently, moved to Hoka and On and makes a total difference, I still change shoes for purpose too, running is most cushioned, but not for walking, mid-cushioned, for casual I have a variety of styles
Excellent video with specific tips for conditions, exactly what I’m looking for. thanks !
Switching to Hoka reduced my PF by 95% in about a week, but I can see they would be worse for some.
I use ON cloud for more than 5 years, bought them again because they are very light and comfortable
I am 70 kg and feeling good to wear Hoka Bondi 9 sneakers
I’m 33 and overly soft shoes hurt unless I’m using them for their intended performance purpose. I wear Jordan retros and skate shoes and I’m good
What about proprioception? Don't you need to feel the ground and wear shoes that allow your toes to splay?
Great information! I thought Hoka’s were a quality shoe, good for anyone. But I think I need a firmer shoe.
I should have seen this video before buying my pair of on cloudmonster… after 7 kms, i had to stop running due to ankle pain…back to asics after 1 week of hard stop to recover.
So helpful!! Great video explained in a relaxed way!!
Rotate shoes . Can’t stress enough
Yup
Thanks.
No, sudden changes in softness, heel to to drop are the best way to cause injury. It takes time for your running form to adjust to different shoes, so when you keep changing them daily you're just asking for trouble. Shoe rotation thing is nonsense pushed by manufacturers to sell more shoes. Find a light, not too soft, comfortable shoe for you and stick with it. No need to overthink it. You want your muscles to do the work so they get stronger and not rely on these super shoes for help.
If we are just talking about walking then matters less, but still..
Could you do, like, a 15 second short and be like: ''Just, rotate your shoes, guys. Okay, bye!''.
@cooljp1531you could always rotate the same shoe style just different pairs
SAS shoes help me a lot. I have a neuroma. Two bone spurs.
Asics gel nimbus 25 was the best walking shoe I ever bought
Any recommendations for people with flat feet?
The amount of cushion in the Novablast 4 might've contributed to early hallux rigidus for me, with a high flexible arch and hyper mobility over my whole body. The ball of the foot would sink into the shoe on my press off when walking and forefoot running.
Great video, the way you explained everything was brilliant. "First feel" is a really great way to put it!
To be honest whether i use a firm or soft midsole show i still have the risk of getting plantar fascitis 😂
That place looks like Lower Delta Road.
I’m glad you specified what type of foot structure can wear cushioned shoes. I’m a trainer with a Masters in exercise science with kinesiology. I also have had a neuroma and broken sesamoid bones in my feet. I have high arches and no pronation. I find my heavily cushioned Hokas to be the best for me.
When I tried on Hoka's & FreshFoam, their Humpy arches KILLED my sensitive arches. Ditto re: Skechers "podiatric-approved" insoles. I have non-diabetic neuropathy and paralyzing arch-cramps and accompanying varicose veins and very-painful tailors-bunions. I cannot find shoes!! And there's nowhere to turn for help. I have every problem imaginable. Prominent varicose veins requiring clearance (similar to a truck in a tunnel). Sensitive ankle (which caused me to repurpose Asics Gel-Contend whose Humpy collars were digging into my varicose-swelled ankle. I had to slice off the collars & turn them into slippers.) And I'm size 6.5 with Wide-ToeBox straddling a D-and-E width. Thus I need ToeBox like Altra-Escalante, albeit a wider MidFoot because Escalante caused me MidFoot-Tailors-Bunions. Podiatrists have NOT helped me, and one of them damaged my ankle by insisting on a constricting ACE.
To me yes. I stopped using thick soft shoes long ago.
What about an old ankle sprain injury which flares up?
very helpful. Now if you could work with GolfNow shoe manufacturers to build shoes around the shape of the human foot!
Thank you Paul! Could you please do a video on Sesamoiditis? I am really struggling with that!
Thank you for this! I got Hoka Bondi after seeing it being recommended by many with PF but it made it worse for me & I was ready to throw them away after wearing it a couple times. I've been using Asics Gel Kayano for many years to run, so now I use them for everyday walking too. They're the only ones that work for me, even though they are not the most stylish 😂
barefoot shoes such as Ahinsa from Czech Republic is amazing!
Honestly a good pair of cowboy boots has made my feet soreness completely disappear. I do exercise in soft shoes. But i wear combat boots at work and cowboy boots everywhere else
Good for when riding horses or walking into a saloon.
My beater shoe is an Asics Gel-3 lyte.
I've been wearing this pair for over a decade now.
For workout, I have Vomero 5s (Panda & photon dust). Those shoes gave me the most comfort when I tried it in the stores, so I bought it.
I have the Cloudwalks from Keeps, super comfy and would recommend them.
i wish i saw your video earlier. So now i am "stuck" with a new nike vomero plus. I hope i can still figure out a way to wear it!
Thank you for your video, I ve been feeling a little bit lost. I am coming out of a toe fracture and I am not used to high sneakers because I’ve been barefoot since I’m a kid basically, obviously when the whole barefoot universe started to grow I started wearing that kind of shoes but now that I can’t bend my toe, the orthopedic doctor told me to buy Hokas and I’m not sure I wanna have that cushioned shoe under me ;(
he told me it’s because they have a toe spring so my toe can heal faster.
The other shoes he told me to wear are birkenstocks or any stiff shoe so I guess the Cliftons would be the one for me because I can tell they have a toe spring and also I have a high arch.
I broke my peroneal on the new balance 1080. Did a lot of stairs standing and walking in it.
I agree I wore some Cushing boot to work my feet hurt at end dad as a pose to wearing shoes that are fermer.
Can you explain shoes other than runners, I only wear shoes 🙏🙏
I am overstraining my left foot because my right foot has a damaged tendon. It took the orthopedic doctors only 8 years to find out... And I had to pay a specialist privately to find out.. The last idiot before the specialist did not even want to check the mri scan cd
I have also tendonitis which is not healing even after several years. And I have figured out that soft and cushioning shoes hurts my choronic problem.
Well, Paul, I very much appreciated the information and I wanted to hear what you had to say. However, I know my feet pronate and I have had the most comfort in a hookah Stinson or the speed goat for my light hikes and elliptical. And I put arch supports in my new balance one 005 tennis shoes and I have no foot pain.I exercise a lot. I play tennis a lot and I years ago had plantar fasciitis which is when I went to an arch support and I’ve never had it since.
just bought a hoka gaviota 5 super cushion stack.
I have Plantar fasciitis and wearing super comfortable shoes didnt help. I bought a red wing moc toe and i noticed that it did significantly improve the condition especially after break in.
I love the Bondi for road running.
The rest of the time though I wear work boots, wellies, zero drop Inov8 trainers for walking and Altra wild 2 for trail running.
Rotating shoes and socks is so important imo.
Exactly, that was my experience too. Now I am having a hard time finding a show with a low drop that is not too hard, as I have back issues and pelvic issues that too hard is painful too. This is an excellent video, good sir, thank you! Those firm shoes are usually too high of a foot drop. I have bad back issues, and that high foot drop takes out my back and pelvis. The Beast is too high foot drop too.
What shoes can be good for work cus I have problems with my feet
I have high-arch, low-volume feet shaped like giant duck paddles, with arthritis and a neuroma. Hokas make it possible for me to keep walking and hiking several miles a day. I keep trying other shoes, but I keep coming back to Hokas.
Try New Balance More V6 next time you go to Fleet Feet. I switched to them after trying them on. I went up a half size.
That's why I wear flat sandals for short-medium trips. Soft walking shoes are long haul vacation only
This is really helpful information.
My feet are super flat, and I have periodic plantar fasciitis.
I will be investigating the Asics Gel Kayano 32s!
Absolutely brilliant video, thanks heaps 😊. I stand all day being a barista, and wear Birkenstock Profi, much better, but still painful 😢
I have foot drop in my right leg and so my foot stomps hard on the floor rather than heel first then toes, whats one shoe you would recommend to someone with a foot drop who has to be kind of moving all day along.. Thanks
What about altras?.
My feet roll over to the inside and I can't find supportive 2.5 wide (uk) trainers/shoes for adults anywhere 😔
I believe all those shoes are still soft. I don’t see anything wrong with a good pair of Goodyear welted or Blake stitched shoes.
Im 70+ and had plantar fasciitis so bad I could barely walk to the bathroom. When to a fancy foot store that advertised on TV and spent a fortune, the only relief was felt in the wallet. Found a brand KURU and I now walk 4 miles a day without an issue.
Why the heck would a shoe company name themselves after a neurodegenerative prion disease that humans get from eating other humans?!?!🤦🏻♂️
@johnniewasr I wondered that too. It makes me not want to buy from them, especially because my father died of another prion disease (CJD). Although I understand anything for pain relief.
I have ultraboost 4.0 for years i love it still but improbably need to buy new ones already
Have knock knee athiritis in one leg bunion on other foot cause pain back and hips as lopsided which best trainers for my condition
I wanted a nice pair of shoes as I have gotten into retirement.
Most of my life I got the cheap tennis shoes. My work shoes as a residential delivery man, bottled water, I carried 3-5 tons a day literally. I only wore the Craftsman ankle boots. These had a thin hard sole after a layer of foam with the regular type sole under my foot. These worked great.
Now I recently found the Brooks Glycerin GTS 22, these felt wonderful! I researched them and found they were podiatrist recommended. I have never paid $165 for a pair shoes. It was tough, but I made the purchase. I liked these so much I brought the Nike and under armor back. I found another pair online, a return for $50 in another color, and another new pair for $90. I got them both. I also got a pair of Nimbus Gel 27, I have gone nuts.
I really like all 4 of these. This is what I wear now with no pain, I wear them about 95% of the time.
Yes my husband and I swear by Brooks Glycerin... we have worn them for years. Just bought a pair yesterday before watching this video😂
I have that flat, pronated foot. I need the most stable, firm shoe available.
what's the best show for an overpronator and someone who suffers from knee arthritis?
Great video. What should I wear for peronel brevia pain. I have a flat arch. Thanks.
I have a couple of pairs of Hoka's and they have different level of cushioning. I find the softest cushioning great to minimise back and hip pain. The firmer shoe are great when my feet are tired.
Same here. I was really starting to worry but I just bought a pair and everyone on here saying it's not good to wear them.
I would like to see what shoes you recommend that aren't athletic runners? ie fashionable walking shoes, sandals or boots
you didint talk about toe spring tho
What a fantastic video...very very informative 🙂🙂
Try Ales Grey frontline pro so comfy ❤
I started to wear barefoot shoes 4 years ago and now I only wear barefoot shoes. I tried cushioned shoes for hiking, Norda 001 and Topo traverse, expencive shoes that have great reviews, after 5 km, my feet started hurting, I can not wear them.
Hello @paulthepodiatrist, I have metatarsalgia or I think I have that as I have constant pain in the area under my toes. What kind of shoes or which shoes do you suggest for me?
My OC shoes hurt my feet, Brookes are very good to me.
I didn’t do physio after my achilles tendon rupture. It’s been 6 years since it happened and I still can lift myself on the foot it happened on. Is there anything I can do to sort this out or if it to late?
Question, what about minimalist shoes for the flexible foot?
I have arthritis in my big toe and had to switch running shoes. I tried Hoka's, and even in the shop, they hurt. Went with Brooks Ghost Max, and they seem ok, but its still too early to tell.
I just bought Cloud 6. 😢 and I am 5'11 , 255lb.
Any recommendation or advise for wellingtons for farmers with arch supports?
Any advice for golf shoes for wide feet with bunions and arthritis?
What about vomero 18 and vomero 18 plus for every day use??
I’m so confused! I am unsure which shoe would be good for me. I bought Hoka Bondi 9 but now I am learning the cushion can harm me. I also bought the brooks ghost max 3…are those just as bad since they’re very cushiony? I have horrific Morton’s neuromas and need cushion but I don’t want to cause other issues if they’re too soft. I have high arch’s fyi. Anyone advise??
What's the best shoe for running if you have arthritis in your big toe hallux ridgius
I bought new cute cushiony sneakers & after wearing (walking around) for 2 hrs, my lower back hurt so much I had to go home. I NEV ER vet backaches &i t had to do w new shoes. I looked & my old rebok were ortholite and had arch support, these have none. I like/need the cushions to be comfy tho. Took ur test & foot not flat, arch not too high, seems normal.
I’v been wearing Nike revolution 7 since 2024 its a great sneaker moderately soft comfy with almost the cheapest price among high range sneakers.
I recently purchased my first Skechers. It was the mens slip-in Garza. I liked the look. When I tried them on, they felt very, very comfortable so I purchased it. The next day, I went on a 2.5 mile walk on flat level paved sidewalk. At first, the Skechers felt good; but 1/4 way through the walk, the outside top of my left foot began to ache. I finished the 2.5 mile walk, but with foot pain. I stopped wearing the Sketchers for one day to allow my left foot to recover. I then tried the Skechers again for a short walk around the block. Immediately, the left foot pain began again. I’ve tried thicker socks, thinner socks, two socks, but the same foot pain persisted. I was disappointed because Sketchers advertise that their shoes are highly recommended by podiatrist. I went back to wearing my other shoes - Brooks Glycerin, LOWA Zephyr, Cole Haan oxford - and I had no foot pain so the Skechers were the problem. I don't know if I would have NOT bought the Skechers if I had watched your video first because the Skechers felt so good when I first tried them on in the store.
If your feet don't like the shoes, beleive them. I agree with you, extra squishy tennis shoes make my arches hurt. I like more stability.
Skechers shoe that was design for walking are crap. I don’t like them . I agree , i do feel pain. The reason is these shoe has poor ankle support and hard midsole . The only part of the shoe that soft is the insole. Sketchers really ripe off buyers
@zaf2643what would you expect from a copy cat. They only know to steal other companies' designs. That's without the innovation in materials and technology that came along.
What about shoes for Morton’s Neuroma?
ive been using puma adelina daily, and it has soft foam. now i feel pain at the back of my feet. i cant tell if it’s because or because i recently played volleyball
I don't get the names of the three shoes. Please can you send the names to me so that I can buy them from Amazon. Thank you.
Chairs with rollers on them are better way to get around most work places, but the likes of Nike etc discourage such a practice from growing as they fear a drop in sales.
How about for a heavy set person who is on their feet the entire day… what would you recommend? Because my heels would ache at the end of my shift and would cause me bad headaches…
Shoe type for flat foot available in India ??
any reccomendations for a nurse shoes?
They are. I found myself stepping harder when wearing those shitty foam shoes. And the foam respond slow to quick direction changes. I would feel the shoes give in before I can establish grip. Easily destroys my balance.
Paul, excellent video. I have a flat foot and sometimes, not often, have heel pain in the morning. I have worn ASICs for a long time. I just bought a pair of Gel-Kayano 32's and they are amazing. I'm looking for a shoe that is good for hiking. I love hiking in Yosemite where there is a lot of smooth granite that sometimes has sand on it, i.e. it can be loose footing. Does this give you enough information to recommend a trail shoe? Thank you.
what's the best sandal for walking in Europe like Teva or reef ?
I wear flat and barefoot shoes, ala Vans, Lems, old Altras. I got a bad case of PF and tried absolutely everything. Nothing helped. After 8 months of no relief or progress I tried on about 40 foam shoes out of desperation. I bought some OC Cloudsurfers and it was a gamechanger. After just 2 months I feel it is 99% recovered. I think sometimes feet just need something different.
Whats your recommendation for people with knocked knees?