6 Best Running Shoes for Older Adults: Comfortable, Stable, & Supportive

After a lifetime of standing, walking and other abuse to our feet, older adults need to take special considerations when buying footwear. Especially running, jogging, and exercise.

The best running shoes for older adults (including seniors and the elderly) should have:

• Cushioning. Lots of cushion and padding from heel to toe and especially in the midsole. This helps absorb the shock to an older body when the feet are pounding on the pavement. Look for memory foam, EVA, and gel soles and insoles.
• Stability. Properly fit running shoes should stabilize the foot which prevents the foot from rolling to either side. This improves balance overall and also reduces pain on the ankles and shins. Check with a podiatrist if you don’t know which way your foot naturally rotates aka pronation.
• Proper Fit. The shoe should fit properly and be comfortable. You don’t want the fit so tight that it rubs blisters onto your feet. But, the shoes shouldn’t be loose or flopping around either. Many seniors get their running shoes a size larger than their normal size. And, if they don’t fit, exchange them for another size.
• Support. Finally, the shoe should support your aging foot. Look for shoes that support arch and have built-in support systems in the soles. Running shoes with a thicker heel that thins out near the toe are often the best choice for older adults.

So, now that you have a better idea what to look for, here are some of my recommended running shoes for older adults.

Best Running Shoes For Aging Men

Saucony, one of the most respected brands in the market when it comes to running shoes, has developed the Cohesion 14 model for the older male runner. This model combines comfort, cushioning, and flexibility for conquering those long trails and walkways.

The Saucony Cohesion 14 model is made with 100% synthetic fiber and has a low-top shaft height. This running shoe is not just for running or walking, but for every type of exercise that an elderly male could do.

The Cohesion 14 a great running shoe for seniors and elderly men since it features an external heel counter and mesh uppers, ensuring that the feet are locked down, maintaining stability and balance. The synthetic mesh upper also promotes breathability by allowing air to flow inside the shoe. It works with a built-in sock liner that provides both comfort and durability to the underfoot at the same time.

The Saucony Cohesion 14 is available in various sizes and colors that fit most elderly men. A Tri-Flex outsole is also added to the shoe, which makes this shoe more flexible. This flexibility complements with comfort and security, as the shoe’s plush collar and tongue keep the feet tight and secure while comfortable at the same time.

To add more comfort while taking every step, the Cohesion 14 also has a FORMFIT contoured footbed that makes this shoe less painful to wear and use, making this running shoe perfect for older guys who still want to go the extra mile.

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Skechers is a popular brand of shoes for both men, women, and children. It is well known for making trendy, fashionable, and functional rubber shoes that most people, especially young people, use.

However, Skechers has also made The Skechers Men’s Afterburn Lace-up Sneaker with memory foam that features the trendiness and style that Skechers is always known for along with functionality that makes it a great shoe for walking and running.

Available in dark colors and various sizes, this Skechers running and walking shoe is made with 100% smooth and synthetic leather with a mesh fabric upper. It looks like a stylish training sneaker, embellished by perforated stitching and overlay accents. With a lace-up closing system, this shoe has a padded collar that provides extra comfort in the ankle.

This stylish shoe also has a memory foam insole that gives even more comfort to the user, perfect for an elderly male who wants a shoe that will last long and will also not tire them out.

Because it provides the best comfort level without compromising functionality and comfort, the Skechers Men’s Afterburn Memory Foam Lace-up Sneaker is a great running and walking shoe for those who want to get fit with style.

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New Balance is another popular shoe brand among runners and athletes alike for good reasons. For one, they are known for manufacturing shoes that provide comfort, support, cushioning, and durability. With that, New Balance has created the M1540v3 model, a running shoe for elderly men that keeps over-pronation stable, so that they could keep going without the fear of losing balance or momentum.

Aside from providing motion control for over-pronating elderly men, the M1540v3 has an outsole made of blown and NDurance rubber that supports cushioning, durability, and traction to the shoe. It also has a dual-density collar that makes the shoe fit and comfortable at the same time and overlays and mesh upper that provides structure and support and makes the shoe more breathable.

Other features of the M1540v3 that increase comfort are the ABZORB cushioning technology that reduces impact upon landing as well as the ACTEVA foam that softens landings without any weight.

Finally, New Balance’s M1540v3 model is equipped with the TPU Rollbar that provides stability on the back of your feet to prevent any inward or outward rolling from occurring, which helps in keeping balance and controlling motion.

Best Running Shoes For Aging Women

The ASICS Women’s Gel-Venture 6 was built for tough adventures that an adventurous senior lady might want to take in her life. It features reversed lugs that provide traction for both uphill and downhill terrain types, making it a perfect shoe for all types of terrains, even the roughest ones.

Adding to the traction support that this shoe provides is a high-abrasion rubber as well as a trail-specific outsole, ensuring that this shoe can provide the needed support and balance for a rugged environment. But it’s not just all traction and support.

The ASICS Women’s Gel-Venture 6 is also equipped with rearfoot gel cushioning on both shoes that absorb shock on landing, providing the needed comfort for those long and hard walks. There are also high-abrasion rubbers located on the outsole’s critical areas, which makes sure that this shoe will not immediately break after a few steps.

But aside from all these awesome features, the ASICS Women’s Gel-Venture 6 could be purchased in various colors and sizes that suit every elderly female. It is made of manmade fabric and mesh, ensuring breathability, flexibility, and comfort. Finally, this shoe also has a removable sock liner where you can put your custom orthotics inside to make your shoe more personalized and more comfortable.

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Aside from creating durable and functional running shoes for male runners and athletes, New Balance has also created the w990v5 model for women made of pigskin and a breathable mesh, which means that this shoe is not only useful but comfortable as well. This shoe is closed using a lace-up system; elderly women can secure and adjust these shoes according to their fit and what makes them comfortable. The w990v5 also features a padded collar and tongue that further adds comfort when you wear it.

The New Balance w990v5 model offers a breathable fabric lining that makes it more comfortable to wear. Also, the foam footbed on the shoe could be removed, and custom orthotics of your choice could be added inside the shoe for further support and a great feel.

This shoe also features an endcap PU ring along with EBA core wraps and a lateral mid-foot that surrounds the mid-foot and goes through the heel, making it a suitable shoe for seniors.

Finally, it also has a boom rubber outsole that increases stability and promotes balance and control at the bottom of the shoe. Aside from a low-top shaft height and a 3M reflectivity, the New Balance w990v5 model is also available in various colors and sizes made especially for women.

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Skechers creates stylish and functional rubber shoes and sneakers that are a great fit for both men and women, and the Skechers Skech-Air Fashion Sneakers is no exception to this quality and trendiness. Like most of the running shoes on this list, this model needs to be closed through a lace-up system that could be adjusted and tightened depending on a person’s preferred fit and comfort level. Its man-made upper detail and fabric material only adds to its stylishness and appeal that Skechers shoes are mostly known for.

This is a perfect running shoe for seniors, especially for elderly women, because of its features that promise stability, durability, comfort, and support. For one, the Skechers Skech-Air Fashion Sneakers are equipped with air-cushioned rubber outsoles with about 26 air pillow pockets that increase the bounce and comfort for every step taken.

Its padded collar and tongue offer additional support for the feet, while the cushioned footbed promises additional comfort for the wearer. The flex groove midsole of the Skechers Skech-Air Fashion Sneakers provides flexibility and absorbs shock every landing, reducing the impact and making these shoes less tiring and more comfortable to use.

Summary

Using the wrong type of shoe could compromise an older person’s desire to be more fit and healthy, so be wise in selecting the best shoe for the elderly person in your life.

Therefore both older adults and caretakers should be careful and meticulous in choosing a shoe that doesn’t only fit and look good but also has great and amazing features that promise stability and support while promoting control, durability, and of course, comfort.

The shoe you choose might just be the one that will help add more years to their lives.