Best Running Shoes for Foot Pain (2026): A Sports Podiatrist’s Guide

By James Repko, DPM, DABPM — board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine; sports medicine and heel pain care at Bayshore Podiatry Center in South Tampa.

Originally published June 23, 2025. Updated September 7, 2026.

I like soft, responsive shoes with room in the forefoot. Topo Phantom is my current daily trainer, ASICS Superblast is my favorite ASICS for speed, tempo, and long runs, and Nike Vomero Plus has become a staple for my wife and me. Those preferences come from running in the shoes. Choosing a shoe for a painful foot takes another step: understanding what hurts and what the runner needs.

For plantar fasciitis, my starting shortlist is Nike Vomero Plus, Brooks Adrenaline GTS, and New Balance 1080 or 860. I choose between them by fit, feel, and support needs. My plantar fasciitis shoe guide explains that shortlist in more detail.

How to read these recommendations: These are my personal impressions and the shoes I consider in clinical conversations. They are not results from a head-to-head treatment trial. My experience includes earlier versions, including 2025 ASICS models; I have not tested every 2026 release. When I have not run in a shoe, I say so.

Compare the shoes · Read my impressions · My shoe rotation · Fit and sizing · When foot pain needs assessment

2026 Shoe Comparison: Match the Shoe to the Job

This table summarizes my recommendations. A soft ride, a supportive platform, and a roomy fit are different qualities; decide which matters for your activity and symptoms.

Specific Shoe Recommendations by Condition and Running Purpose

I enjoy soft, responsive shoes, but I do not recommend my own favorites to every runner. A shoe that is fun for tempo work can be the wrong choice for someone with active plantar fasciitis. These are my impressions from running in and assessing shoes, not a claim that one model cures an injury.

Watch: My Topo, Brooks, and ASICS Shoe Comparison

In this video, I discuss the Topo Specter 2, Brooks Glycerin, and ASICS Gel-Kayano, including toe-box space, cushioning, and support. The video title refers to 2025; the written recommendations in this guide reflect my September 2026 update.

Watch this running shoe comparison on YouTube.

Stability Shoes for Flat Feet with Posterior Tibial Tendon Symptoms

ASICS Gel-Kayano: When you need support, it is a go-to. I have tried the ASICS models discussed here in at least their 2025 versions and have liked them all. The Kayano feels comparatively flat to run in for me, but its supportive character is the reason I recommend considering it.

New Balance 860: Think of the supportive character I get from the Kayano, but with a squishier and slightly more responsive feel to my feet. It has a good blend of cushioning, stability, and response. Compared with the 860, the Nike Vomero Plus feels less supportive, softer, and more responsive.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS: Still one of my first choices to try when support is useful, including for some runners with plantar fasciitis. I often suggest Brooks to people who do not like the squishier ride I tend to prefer. My personal preference for other brands is about feel, not the quality of the shoes.

HOKA Arahi and Gaviota: I have not run in these. They feel too firm and supportive for my own preference, so they are not part of my personal running rotation. They can still be options to assess when a runner wants that kind of guidance.

A flat-looking arch alone does not settle the choice. Symptoms, function, comfort, and the response to support matter.

Cushioning for Plantar Fasciitis, Daily Miles, and Recovery

Nike Vomero Plus: This has become a staple in our house for my wife and me. Daily miles, daily wear, long runs—it does a lot well. The foam is soft and responsive, with surprisingly good stability for how much give it has. It is also one of my first shoes to try for plantar fasciitis when its fit and support suit the runner.

During my 100-mile ultramarathon in January 2026, my feet were killing me at mile 64 and I switched into the Vomero Plus. That is the kind of real-world experience that stays with me when I discuss a shoe. My wife and I are both planning to run a half marathon in it this fall.

New Balance 1080: A great cushioned neutral shoe, and one I still recommend considering for plantar fasciitis based on feel. On my longer runs, I found the cushioning started to feel less adequate around 15 miles and my feet became uncomfortable. That was my experience during a long run; it is not a measure of the shoe’s lifespan. Choose the 860 if you need its additional support; the 1080 and 860 are not interchangeable categories.

HOKA Clifton and Bondi: Great shoes and still staples in my recommendations. My view of these has largely stayed the same.

Brooks Glycerin/Glycerin Max and Ghost Max: Also worth a try. I have enjoyed running in Brooks shoes, even though I tend to reach for other brands. Ride feel is a preference; a shoe does not have to be my favorite to be a good choice for you. Try the specific model, because the Glycerin, Glycerin Max, and GTS versions do not all offer the same ride or support.

ASICS Gel-Nimbus and Gel-Cumulus: I continue to rate them highly. My enthusiasm for the newer additions to my rotation has not displaced every shoe that was in this guide before.

Nike Vomero Premium: Ridiculously comfortable, with a very soft feel that I enjoy for recovery and long miles. The catch is that it can bother my knee. I enjoy the shoe, but that does not make it my first plantar fasciitis recommendation or the right option for every long run.

Neutral Daily Trainers, Faster Running, and Value

ASICS Superblast: Hands down my favorite ASICS. It is responsive and versatile enough for speed, tempo work, and long runs. If you ask which ASICS I am most enthusiastic about personally, this is it. My experience includes the version I ran in last year; do not assume every update feels identical.

adidas Adizero EVO SL: At $150, I think it is the best value for money in the shoes I have tried. The foam is incredible. It feels like a go-anywhere, do-anything road shoe for a daily runner who does not need much support. However, it offers little support, can bother my knee, and I would not recommend it for plantar fasciitis.

ASICS Novablast and HOKA Skyflow: Remain strong options in the broader daily-trainer conversation. My opinions of the shoes I previously recommended are largely unchanged.

Topo Specter, Phantom, and Cyclone: My choice depends on what I am doing. Phantom is my current daily trainer, with enough cushioning and a drop that does not bother my knee. Specter is my shorter-run and speed-work option, and I also like it for daily wear. Cyclone is my everyday walking and rucking shoe; I enjoy its more minimal feel compared with my more cushioned options. The roomy toe box is a big part of why Topo works for me.

Saucony Endorphin lineup: I have tried it and think the quality is great. To my feet, the feel has been more comparable to Brooks than to the softer shoes I personally favor. I do not feel that I am fast enough to get the enjoyment others get from them. That is my experience, not a minimum pace requirement for wearing Saucony.

My Rotation: Different Shoes for Different Jobs

I continue to use the HOKA Cielo X1 for a lot of speed and tempo work. For trails, I love the Topo Ultraventure. My trail runs are usually 10–26 miles, depending on the phase of ultra training, and this is where I reach for it. HOKA Speedgoat remains another trail option I rate. For day-to-day office wear, you can still find me in Altra Torin or Paradigm.

I like rotating at least two shoes with different stack heights, heel drops, or categories so that every run does not ask exactly the same thing of my legs. A prospective study found an association between multiple-shoe use and lower injury risk, but it did not prove that changing shoes prevents injuries. Rotation also does not replace calf, hamstring, glute, and other strength work.

My knee is a useful reminder to judge the whole shoe: Drops above about 7 mm often bother me, yet the Vomero Plus bothers my knee less than the Vomero Premium. The EVO SL can bother it too, even though I enjoy running in both the EVO SL and Premium. Drop alone does not explain every response. Do not turn my personal preference into a rule for your own feet or knees.

Fit and Sizing: What I Look for Before Buying

Room in the forefoot: This is a big reason I like Topo. Older Nikes could feel like a “foot dungeon” to me, even though I do not have a wide forefoot. The Nikes I have tried recently feel roomier. That is my experience with those models, not a claim about every shoe a brand makes.

My half-size-up habit: I generally go up half a size from what I measure and look for about a thumb’s width beyond my longest toe. I also want a secure heel and midfoot. Use that as a fit check, not an instruction to buy the same size in every brand. Enough room can reduce crowding, but sizing alone cannot guarantee against blisters or nail problems.

Try both shoes with your usual running socks and any inserts you wear. Check for toe pressure, heel slip, and uncomfortable arch pressure. If you need a wide shoe, assess the platform as well as the upper. Before an outdoor trial, check the retailer’s return policy.

About Dr. James Repko

I am a podiatrist, endurance runner, and co-owner of Bayshore Podiatry Center in South Tampa. My clinical interests include sports medicine, heel pain, and tendon injuries. I am board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. Read my professional background and approach to care.