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Support

The term "support," when used in the shoe manufacturing industry, refers to the shoe's ability to stabilize and cushion the foot during everyday activity. The level of support in a shoe refers to the devices within the sole that help to absorb some of the impact from the foot strike. Support is two-fold because it involves the manner in which the shoe stabilizes and cushions the foot.

Stability is an integral part of a shoe's level of support. Stability generally refers to the shoe's ability to control and neutralize the stride of a runner with an unstable gait. The level of support in a shoe will change if the shoe is made specifically for someone with an unstable gait. In the general sense, stability can also simply refer to the ability the shoe has to keep the foot from moving around in the shoe. It is important for the shoe and foot to function as one. This is essentially the goal of all stability devices located within the support of a shoe. Another integral part of the shoe's level of support is cushioning. Cushioning refers to the level of softness created by a shoe's insole and outsole padding, which affects the level at which the shoe is able to absorb the shock of impact. The more cushioning a shoe has, the more support the foot will have inside of the shoe.

The term "support" can be used to evaluate any type or style of shoe, although it becomes most important when speaking about athletic shoes. Generally, a person can expect little to no support in dress shoe or high heels, as they are not made for high impact activities. Athletic shoes however, do offer varying amounts of support and should be researched to evaluate which shoe is best for your foot. All shoes, athletic shoes especially, will and should offer some support; otherwise, you might as well be walking barefoot.

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