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It doesn’t matter whether you’re 20 or 80, wearing shoes that fit and support your feet well is vitally important. “If your shoes don’t fit, it can cause significant problems for your feet,” says Dr Andrea Bianchi, orthopaedic surgeon at The Private Clinic.

“Problems like bunions can develop and get worse from wearing ill-fitting and uncomfortable footwear as they can induce excessive pressure on the toes by forcing the first and fifth toes towards the centre, thus compressing the other toes.”

Some orthopaedic or supportive shoes have removable insoles so that you can insert your own orthotic (a moulded shoe insert designed to support or align the foot). “Just as the eyes need glasses, the foot can require an orthotics insole,” says Dr Bianchi.

“Now that we wear shoes, the foot has lost the daily training that was once done by walking barefoot.” Dr Bianchi adds. “If your foot isn’t properly aligned or you have fallen arches on the feet, you can wear over-the-counter orthotics or those that a doctor prescribes. These are custom-made specifically for you and will ensure that your foot is well-supported.”

Fortunately, well-fitting shoes don’t have to look clunky or unfashionable. Below, we’ve found the best orthopaedic and supportive shoes in a range of styles. We were looking at comfort, shock absorbency, cushioning, arch support, heel support and whether the toe box allows the toes to spread.

How we tested the best orthopaedic and supportive shoes

We tested these shoes with long walks on different surfaces, and we were looking for comfort (both underfoot and in the fit of the shoe), how well the shoe stayed on the foot (for example, if you have plantar fasciitis, you don’t want a backless shoe) and whether it provided the support that it claimed to.

The best orthopaedic and supportive shoes for 2024 are: