Are Minimalist Shoes Good for Flat Feet

Minimalist shoes can be good for flat feet, especially the flexible type, because they can help strengthen the foot muscles, and in the process, improve natural movement. However, since they lack any arch support, special care has to be taken before using them to avoid increasing pain and injury. 

Key Takeaways

• Minimalist shoes can be helpful with mild flat feet because they improve natural movement.
• They do not have arch support, which makes them unsuitable for severe or chronic cases of flat feet.
• While studies on the effectiveness of minimalist shoes for flat feet have mixed outcomes, most point to the effectiveness of minimalist shoes for mild cases of flat feet, and when transition is gradual.
• Regular use of minimalist shoes can help increase foot strength and strengthen intrinsic muscles.
• Suddenly switching to minimalist shoes can lead to injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, and Achilles tendinitis.
• Custom orthotics for flat feet from Stride Soles are an alternative and can be placed in minimalist shoes. 

What Are Minimalist Shoes?

These are shoes designed to imitate what it feels like when walking barefoot, which explains why they are also known as "barefoot shoes". They are flexible and lightweight, offering little to no interference with movement.

The major features of minimalist shoes include:

• Flexible, Thin Soles - The soles are often between 4 to 8 mm in height, allowing for increased proprioception (the body's ability to sense its movements and position in a given space without visual cues). This increased sense of feeling improves the engagement of the foot muscles, because the cushioning is not enough to dull the sensory feedback from the proprioceptors, specialized sensory receptors located in the muscles, tendons, and joints.
• Wide Toe Box - This gives the toes enough splay room, which improves grip and balance. It also reduces the chances of issues like bunions developing.
• Zero-drop Soles - Unlike "normal" shoes that promote heel strikes with their 8 to 12 mm drops, minimalist shoes have zero drops, encouraging mid or forefoot strikes.
• Lightweight Design - They encourage efficient movement because they are lightweight and, therefore, do not cause fatigue.

Flat Feet - A Brief Overview

Flat feet, also known as pes planus, is a condition in which the arch of the foot is undeveloped, underdeveloped, or fallen. While many people with flat feet have no symptoms, many others will exhibit symptoms like overpronation, stress on the ankles, knees, or hips. All of these can lead to pain and discomfort.

How Can Minimalist Shoes Help with Flat Feet?

Studies on the use of minimalist shoes for flat feet are not unanimous in their conclusions. However, one thing that they agree on is that these shoes can be helpful in some cases of flat feet.

For the right type of flat feet, minimalist shoes can help in the following ways:

Activation and Strengthening of Foot Muscles

Because the shoes come with really thin soles, muscles, like the flexor digitorum brevis and the abductor hallucis, are forced to get more active, resulting in an increase in arch stiffness. Some studies report that this arch stiffness can be increased by up to 30% with consistent use. Other studies also note that, with constant use,  there can be an increase in plantarflexion strength as well as up to a 20% increase in the size of intrinsic muscles like the abductor digiti minimi.

Promotion of Natural Gait 

The zero-drop design on minimalist shoes improves natural gait by shortening strides, boosting cadence, cutting down overpronation, and reducing heel striking. By shifting impact from the heel to the midfoot, stress on the knee and hip is reduced.

Improved Stability and Balance 

With proprioception improved with the use of the shoes, the risk of falls is significantly reduced. They also help with posture by improving the alignment of the ankles, knees, and hips.

Control of Arch Deformation 

The flexibility of minimalist shoe soles encourages the natural stiffening of the dynamic longitudinal arch. This improves stability and energy return for flat feet.

Reduction in Joint Stress 

By promoting mid or forefoot striking, as against heel striking, minimalist shoes reduce the shock felt by the body with each foot strike, and also increase the dissipation of this impact shock. This leads to reduced stress on the kinetic chain, which includes the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.

Reduction in Pain

Reports show that with consistent use, people with overpronation-related conditions, like bunions and plantar fasciitis, can experience pain relief.

Long-term Efficiency

Studies show that the risk of injuries is lowered with forefoot landing, which minimalist shoes promote. The studies also show that forefoot landing improves energy use and conservation while running.

Possible Risks of Using Minimalist Shoes for Flat Feet

There are a few possible risks to using minimalist shoes for flat feet. These include the following:

• Lack of Arch Support - Many people with flat feet require arch support to reduce overpronation, so using minimalist shoes, which offer no arch support, can lead to worsened symptoms. This is especially true for cases of rigid flat foot.

• Risk of Initial Strain and Injury - A study has shown that people with flat feet who are first-time users of minimalist shoes face 2 to 3 times more plantar pressure. Sudden load on weakened muscles increases the risk of Achilles tendinitis, shin splints, and metatarsal stress fractures.

• Increased Impact on Hard Surfaces - With their thin soles, minimalist shoes can increase fatigue and cause blisters when used on hard surfaces, like concrete floors. For initial use, use them on trails or grass.

• Challenges with Initial Use - In a 2025 review, it was noted that the risk of injuries was much higher when minimalist shoes were not gradually introduced. The feet may feel unstable and even ache as they struggle to adapt to the zero-drop design and thin soles.

Who Should Use Minimalist Shoes?

The ideal individuals with flat feet who can consider using minimalist shoes include the following:

Persons with Flexible or Hypermobile Flat Feet

Minimalist shoes can help by enhancing natural foot alignment, reducing overpronation, and building the arch support over time by strengthening the intrinsic muscles.

Folks with Genetic Flat Feet without Symptoms

This covers people who, despite having flat feet, still function without any symptoms. The shoes will improve proprioception and promote natural gait, while keeping the muscles strong and engaged.

Mild Cases of Flat Feet

In cases like these, there is a need to increase foot strength to halt and reverse early overpronation. Minimalist shoes can help increase muscle size and arch stiffness when used consistently.

Active People with Flat Feet 

People with flat feet who already engage in high-impact activities can gradually begin to switch to minimalist shoes to encourage mid or forefoot striking. This can help reduce stress on the joints and also improve performance efficiency.

People with Flat Feet and Good Lower Body Strength

People who have flat feet but also have strong cores can gain some benefits from using minimalist shoes. Building on their strong core, these shoes can help improve their balance and posture without the risk of injuries.

How to Effectively Change to Minimalist Shoes

To avoid some of the downsides of using minimalist shoes, it is important that you make the switch the right way. Here are some tips to help you effectively change to minimalist shoes:

• Start Gradually - This is essential to prevent an instant overloading of the muscles. Start by using it for between 20 to 30 minutes each and on a soft surface. You can increase the use time by about 10% every week to help build tolerance. At this initial stage, you should alternate with shoes that provide good support.
• Complement with Exercises - Simple exercises like arch lifts, toe curls, calf stretches, and heel raises can help strengthen important muscles, reducing the risk of injury from overload.
• Use Hybrid Models - Hybrid minimalist shoes include some arch support, making it easier for new users to switch to them. You may consider using these because they are easier to adapt to.
• Seek Professional Help - Working with a podiatrist can help ensure that the transition is smooth.

Other Alternatives to Consider

Minimalist shoes are not ideal for all types of flat feet. For flat feet that minimalist shoes are not ideal for, other alternatives that you can consider include:

• Custom Orthotics - These are insoles, like the Stride Soles Custom Orthotics for Flat Feet, designed to offer precise support to individual users. Because Stride Soles have built in sensorimotor elements, they strengthen the feet in the same proprioceptive ways as minimalist shoes. If you are interested in the science beh
• Supportive Footwear - These will offer stability or motion control for flat feet.
• Hybrid Minimalist Shoes - These are minimalist shoes with some arch support.

Conclusion

Minimalist shoes can be of help to some people with flat feet. This is especially the case for people with mild cases of flat feet, who are also willing to gradually make the transition. It's important to remember that they are not suitable for every case of flat feet, especially rigid or severe flat feet with chronic pain.

If you are unsure whether or not minimalist shoes are right for you, you can consult your podiatrist for professional guidance.