A great deal of foot pain is the result of a faulty relationship between the bones and muscles of the foot. Even the slightest misalignment can result in significant discomfort. This abnormal function can result in problems such as bunions, hammer toes, arch and heel pain, corns, knee pain, and even hip and back pain.

Providing proper support to the foot can alleviate and prevent most of these problems. First you must ensure that you are wearing proper shoes. In many cases, though, more support is required than the shoe alone can provide—even the best shoes. In these cases you may want to consider either an arch support or an orthotic. Both arch supports and orthotics sit inside the shoe and provide support and/or cushion to your feet, but they are very different devices.

If you continue to have foot pain, you should see your podiatrist or other foot health professional to find out exactly what is wrong and the best treatment for your particular problem. Your podiatrist might recommend fitting you for prescription orthotics, custom-made devices that correct your individual foot problems.If you don’t need prescription orthotics, you might benefit from over-the-counter arch supports—most people can use a little extra support. When fit correctly, good arch supports will provide support and cushion, and will help reduce strain on your feet.

Prefabricated Arch Supports
Our staff at Marin Running Company is trained to evaluate your foot and help you find the best arch support.

Selecting the Best Arch Supports for Your Feet
Out of the hundreds of over-the-counter arch supports on the market, Marin Running Company® has selected these brands and models as the best for our customers.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the podiatrists, pedorthists, physical therapists and other foot health professionals who have helped us evaluate the many arch supports on the market and select the best ones. We have looked for devices that provide excellent support and good cushioning for a variety of foot types. In addition, we have looked for devices that fit a variety of different shoes. Given the vast variety of foot shapes and shoe types, we have selected more than 10 models of arch supports in order to be able to fit the greatest number of people with a device that is best for their particular foot.
Keep in mind that there is no one “perfect” arch support - regardless of what some advertising may claim. An arch support that is perfect for your foot may not work well for your friend. Or one that works great in an athletic shoe may not fit into a women's dress shoe. That is why we carry so many different models of arch supports and spend so much time training our staff on proper fitting. As a matter of fact, we have the best selection available on the West Coast.

Our staff at Marin Running Company is trained by podiatrists to evaluate your foot and help you find the best arch support for your foot. They will look at the height of your arch, how stable your foot is, how wide it is in the heel and in the forefoot and whether you have any structural problems that may make one arch support work better than another. After that they will ask you about your activities and the types of shoes that you wear. Using all of that information they will choose the best models of arch supports for your feet and shoes and then individually fit them to your feet.

In some cases, we may feel that we don't have an over-the-counter arch support that would work well for your feet. Some feet are just too flat, too high-arched or have some structural abnormality that makes it difficult to fit an over-the-counter arch support. In that situation we would likely refer you to a podiatrist or other foot health professional that can evaluate whether you are a candidate for prescription orthotics. Additionally, we would recommend that you don't buy any shoes from us until after you find out if you need orthotics. That way we can ensure that your feet, your shoes and your orthotics all work together in harmony.

We Understand Your Feet
It is not normal for your feet to hurt. The correct diagnosis, treatment and shoes can help prevent and treat foot pain.

At Marin Running Company, we know feet. We understand that there are many causes of foot pain, and we have studied the most common foot problems. We have solutions for you.

We work closely with podiatrists, and we can recommend one if you have foot pain but haven’t already had an evaluation. Once you are ready for healthy, comfortable shoes, we’re here to help.

Our medical advisory committee has helped us compile the information on the most common foot problems that you’ll find in this section.

Common Foot Problems
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation and degeneration of the achilles tendon. This tendon is the large tendon...
Bunions
A bunion is an enlargement or bump on the big toe joint.
Neuromas
Neuromas cause pain in the forefoot, typically in the area of the 3rd and 4th toes. The nature of the pain may...
Sweaty Feet (Hyperhydrosis)
Did you know that in normal situations, your feet put out more than 1⁄2 cup of sweat per day? Try pouring that...
Arch & Heel Pain
The most common cause of arch and heel pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis.
Diabetes & Your Feet
Diabetes afflicts over twenty million people in the United States. This metabolic disease is the result of elevated...
Metatarsalgia (Pain in the Ball of the Foot)
Metatarsalgia is a general term used to denote a painful foot condition in the metatarsal region of the foot (the...
Arthritis & Your Feet
Arthritis is an inflammation and swelling of the cartilage and lining of the joints, generally accompanied by an...
Hammer Toes
A hammer toe is a bent toe that looks a little like a claw. It usually occurs to the second toe in from the big toe...
Pregnancy Foot Pain
Complaints of foot pain are common during pregnancy, but they can usually be easily avoided or prevented with very...