Walking puts strain on the arch of the foot, and your heels, the balls of your feet, and your knees all absorb impact shock when walking, especially on hard surfaces. While occasional walking doesn’t necessarily contribute to pain and discomfort, long periods of walking, frequent walking, and even occasional walking when you already experience discomfort can cause or increase pain in your feet and knees.

You should ensure that your feet – especially your arches – are properly supported so that pressure is distributed across your foot to take strain off your arches. Additionally, you should ensure that you have good padding under your heels and the balls of your feet to help absorb impact shock to alleviate the amount of work that your feet, ankles, and knees have to do to absorb that shock. Try to favor both feet equally when walking to ensure that no one foot or leg is doing the majority of the work, and try to walk with an even pace where possible.

A walking insole will have three key features:

1. The insole will have a semi-rigid arch support.
2. The insole will feature a shock-absorbing pad under the heel and the ball-of-foot.
3. The insole will have at least a moderate amount of cushioning.

A semi-rigid arch support will allow your feet to flex while walking while still ensuring that you receive solid support for the arches of your feet. Shock-absorbing pads at the heel and ball-of-foot will help to mitigate the amount of impact shock on your foot, ankles, and knees. And good cushioning will help alleviate pressure on the foot, while the arch support will help distribute the remainder evenly across the foot.

• Supportive socks and foot sleeves can help with walking by adding an additional layer of support and cushioning beyond what your walking insoles will already provide. Most foot sleeves can be worn in addition to your normal socks, as well.
• Stretching before walking can help loosen up your muscles, which will lead to less soreness during and after walking.
• Stretching after walking can also help alleviate or prevent post-walk fatigue and soreness. Massage rollers for your feet can assist with working out any strain or fatigue.