Podiatrists say ditch your trendy sneakers — here's what they actually wear for daily walks

Our experts independently review everything we recommend. If you buy through our links, we may earn commission.

I never gave my everyday sneakers much thought until I found myself in a podiatrist's office for a broken toe. The toe was going to be just fine, but my shoes were not. Noticing my wonky gait and other foot quirks, my doctor quickly sent me packing to the nearest Hoka store, where I was matched with my beloved Gaviota sneakers . I'm not exaggerating when I say my walking life has changed in ways I never could've imagined. So this got me wondering: What do podiatrists actually wear on their own feet? To find out, I asked 20 of them — but first, the bad news: you're probably making at least one of these shoe-buying mistakes right now.

The 6 walking shoe mistakes everyone makes

Turns out, the pros see the same handful of missteps over and over.

Forgetting about width. "Buying too narrow is far and away the most common mistake I see," says David Laurino , a podiatrist in Gilbert, Arizona. "People pick their length correctly and completely ignore width and wonder why they've got calluses, numbness and an angry bunion."

Shopping at the wrong time of day. "Shoes fitted in the morning are the single most common reason I see bruised, blackened toenails," says foot and ankle surgeon Chandana Halaharvi , founder of Thrive Foot and Ankle in Pearland, Texas. Because feet swell up to half a size by evening, that's the ideal time to buy.

Only buying one pair. "Having dedicated shoes for different activities is something people often overlook," says Arti Karmur , a foot and ankle surgeon at HealthyU Clinics in Arizona — she always keeps two pairs in rotation, one for walking and one for work. Mohammad Usman , medical director of Michigan Avenue Podiatry Clinic in Chicago, agrees: rotating shoes lets the soles recover and gives the foam time to decompress, so the cushioning holds up longer.

Waiting for a shoe to "loosen up." "A shoe should feel comfortable immediately. There should not be a required break-in time," says Anne Sharkey , a podiatrist in Austin. One exception: rocker-soled shoes can take a few days for your calves to adjust to, but that's different from a shoe that just doesn't fit.

Confusing softness with support. "Soft and pillowy doesn't mean supportive," says Christopher Majewski , a podiatric physician in Suffolk, Virginia, who notes that a sole that's too flexible makes your foot's own muscles and tendons "work twice as hard" with every step. Learn more about the shoes podiatrists don't recommend for walking .

Keeping shoes long after they're "dead." Samantha Landau , a professor at Touro University's New York College of Podiatric Medicine, has a mileage rule: Replace your walking shoes every 500 to 700 miles — 250 if you're running in them too.

With the don'ts out of the way, let's get into the do's — starting with the brand that came out on top.

Brooks: the brand podiatrists reach for most

Brooks wasn't just the most-mentioned brand in our survey — it was the only one nearly every podiatrist I spoke to had tried at some point. Laurino, who's worn Brooks daily for 25 years, put it simply: "It's hard to go wrong with Brooks."

✅ APMA seal check: Brooks has more American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance –approved sneakers than any other brand in this roundup — the Adrenaline GTS, Ghost Max and Glycerin lines are all currently on the list.

"I've worn the Brooks Adrenaline GTS series for 10+ years, beginning in school when I had long days on my feet. They give me a combination of comfort, stability and cushioning for long walks and all-day use." — Samuel Strothman , a podiatric physician at Desert Foot & Ankle in Glendale, Arizona

Also loved by: Foot and ankle surgeon, Nishit Vora , for his own plantar fasciitis and Mario Porciello-Donnarumma , a podiatric physician in Santa Monica, Calif., who keeps his Brooks on for runs and rotates them with a pair of Asics Gel-Nimbus .

Yahoo Tested winner too: Best Brooks stability shoe

Buy it if: your feet want a little extra backup — a stiffer arch and heel that hold their ground instead of caving in, especially if you overpronate.

Pro tip: Most people never even notice that extra lace loop up top — but Porciello-Donnarumma swears by it. Thread your laces through, and you've got built-in ankle support with zero cost, no brace required.

"I'm a huge fan of the Brooks Ghost Max. Once I started wearing them, my back pain reduced significantly. I recommend them to a ton of patients." — Nicole Graf, founder of Lexington Podiatry and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky

Also loved by: Usman, who says the shoe's rocker sole "makes your foot work less." And as a money-saving bonus: "The Ghost Max lasts for a very long time — generally longer than other shoes I've worn, all while maintaining their performance and fit."

Yahoo Tested winner too: Best walking shoe for bunions

Buy it if: you have high arches, plantar fasciitis, bunions or Morton's neuroma — the extra-wide toe box takes pressure off the forefoot. (The Max toe box is noticeably wider than the standard Ghost.)

Pro tip: Give a rocker shoe a week. "The curved sole changes how your foot moves, and your calves may feel it for a few days," says Halaharvi. "That's normal adjustment, not a sign the shoe is wrong."

"I like the Glycerin GTS because it gives me a combination of cushioning, stability, and comfort without feeling overly heavy or restrictive. I also wanted a shoe that could transition easily from everyday walking to running." — Karmur

Also loved by: Laurino, who says the Glycerin's roomy toe box makes it a favorite for bunions and hammertoes. "I prefer a running shoe for walking. Support, control, stability and shock absorption all rolled into one."

Yahoo Tested winner too: Best running shoe for walking

Buy it if: you've had plantar fasciitis or just want a cushioned shoe that still feels structured, not mushy.

Pro tip: Karmur recommends sizing up a half size for longer walks — feet swell throughout the day, and you shouldn't be counting on a "break-in" period to make a tight shoe work.

Even doctors whose main pick was something else still had Brooks in rotation — Rajat Lahiri , a podiatric physician in Fremont, Calif. goes for his Brooks Ghosts between wears of his Nike Pegasus 42s . And Sharkey is a big fan of her Brooks Cascadia for trail walks.

Hoka: the brand that came in a close second

"Lightweight, comfortable, providing excellent support for everyday activity." That's how Stephanie Avner , podiatrist at The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics in Virginia described my personal favorite shoe brand, Hoka. It came in right behind Brooks as the brand that's most worn by the foot pros.

✅ APMA seal check: Hoka carries the seal on the Bondi and Clifton, the two most-mentioned Hoka picks.

" The Clifton has soft cushioning without feeling heavy, making them comfortable for walking, regular daily activities and exercise too." — Avner

Also loved by: Victoria Liew , a podiatrist with Bay Area Foot Care, who pairs hers with custom inserts, and Vora, who wears them regularly, rotating between these and Asics Gel-Kayano .

Buy it if: you want cushion that doesn't feel heavy — it runs true to size, though wider feet or bunions do better in the wide-width version.

Pro tip: Vora's one caution — the thick sole can feel a little clunky, which may not be ideal if you use an assistive device or have balance concerns.

"The Bondi 9 is the plush one — wide, stable and roomy enough that my toes aren't getting squeezed. It's my cushy, recovery-walk shoe because it's forgiving and absorbs impact." — Halaharvi

Also loved by: Bruce Pinker , a foot and ankle surgeon in New York City who goes back and forth between his New Balance and Hoka sneakers: "Hoka is a good brand that I recommend and wear often."

Buy it if: you've got plantar fasciitis or you're on hard floors all day and want a shoe that soaks up impact without asking your feet to work for it.

Pro tip: "If you're older, unsteady or have diabetic numbness, talk to your podiatrist before going all-in on cushioning, which can make it harder to feel the ground," Halaharvi says.

New Balance: the old favorite still worth the hype

New Balance rounded out the podium as the third-most-worn brand. "New Balance footwear is a very well-made and durable brand," says Pinker. "I've worn them for many years and continue to find them a high-quality choice for walking, running and tennis."

✅ APMA seal check: Among other New Balance picks, the Fresh Foam has earned the APMA Seal of Approval, which means it's been recognized as "beneficial to foot health" and as a "significant value" when worn consistently, as part of a program of daily foot care.

"This shoe meets all the good shoe qualities that I seek out, including good rear-foot stability and a deep, wide toe box." — Landau

Also loved by: Majewski, who picked the 990v6 because it holds its shape where some other sneakers tend to cave: "Many lifestyle sneakers collapse laterally under prolonged body weight, but the 990 preserves rearfoot and midfoot control."

Buy it if: you use custom orthotics and need a stable platform that won't collapse under them. Because they come in both wide and narrow widths, there's room for feet that run roomy or narrow.

Pro tip: Rotate your favorite walking shoes. "Foam needs 24 to 48 hours to decompress and rebound — resting a pair actually extends its life," Majewski says.

"The Fresh Foam X 880v15 is one of my current favorite walking shoes. It has lots of cushion and shock absorption." — Pinker

Also loved by: Podiatrists Katherine Hagmann and Irina Abramova both have the Fresh Foams in heavy rotation, with Abramova, who favors the slightly more structured 860v15 , noting that her feet simply "don't get tired after longer walks" with these on.

Buy it if: you want a neutral, well-cushioned shoe with a stable, wide base for everyday miles — the 880 lets your foot move naturally rather than correcting it.

Pro tip: New Balance comes in narrow, standard and wide versions of the same shoe — so if your usual size doesn't feel right, don't size up or down, simply order the same size in a different width instead.

More walking shoes podiatrists actually wear

The shoes above got the most votes — but plenty of other podiatrists pointed us toward more solid options.

Price and quality aren't the same thing, Laurino says: "The right shoe is the one that fits your foot, not the one with the highest number on the tag." Landau agrees, often reaching for her more affordable Skechers and Asics. And Graham Reid , a foot and ankle surgeon in Deer Lodge, Montana, keeps it simple: his $85 Stoke sneaker gives him the "comfort, cushioning and support" he needs for long days on his feet.

Not every walk stays on pavement. Podiatrist Mike Daniels , president of WeTreatFeet Podiatry, wears the Merrell Moab 3 as his daily work shoe: "The foot sits in the shoe instead of swimming around in it." And the Hoka Speedgoat is Hagmann's go-to for trail walking.

Yahoo Tested winner too: Best trail walking for women

Yahoo Tested winner too: Best for trail walking

Sometimes the best walking shoes are actually sandals, says podiatrist Christina Pratt , who favors a men's version from Vionic. Sharkey is also a Vionic fan for sweaty walks. "I reach for my Gabby sneaker over and over all summer long," thanks to its built-in arch support and breathable construction."

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.