# Will athletic shoes help with standing a lot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544 "2016-08-31T04:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/1 "2016-08-31T04:45:38Z")
I’m going to have some weekend work that may require hours on my feet. I have a pair of athletic shoes that I’ve only ever used to walk to the fitness room and back, and exercise with (usually elliptical, but occasional treadmill). They are, as far as I remember, general purpose exercise shoes (not specifically for running or any particular sport). I’ll also have to walk a few blocks to and from the site. Would wearing them help me more than wearing my normal shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/2 "2016-09-01T02:04:14Z")
I should add that this work likely won’t require a lot of walking or kicking or anything like that; just sitting and standing and shuttling from thing to thing. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/3 "2016-09-01T03:40:53Z")
Wild guess as this is outside my usual expertise but possibly weight training shoes might offer more support. I used to wear running shoes on previous jobs but I was moving around a lot with frequent breaks driving to the next stop. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/4 "2016-09-01T03:58:25Z")
You might also look into the kinds of shoes that nurses or letter carriers wear. If you are like me, I can walk all day but standing around kills my flat feet. I’ve had good luck with a pair of New Balance shoes made for letter carriers. I’ve also had good luck with orthotic inserts for my arches. Not those Dr Scholls things you get at the drugstore but the kind you can buy at the sports shoe places (or online, if you already know the brand you want). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/5 "2016-09-01T04:03:12Z")
What I found helpful was to switch from shoes to boots. Something high enough that they gave ankle support. ---
**Author:** ![BundleOfStix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BundleOfStix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BundleOfStix)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-athletic-shoes-help-with-standing-a-lot/764544/6 "2016-09-01T05:02:52Z")
I was always skeptical about Sketchers shoes, but recently bought a pair as my in-the-house shoes. After a week of stretching out the top portion, I was hooked and bought a second pair for outside wear - they are truly the most comfortable shoes I think I’ve ever worn! You do have to try them on, though. Even the second pair was a nearly identical style to the first, I had to get a half size larger.