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As a resident of New York City, there have always been certain factors I’ve taken into account when shopping for shoes. How long will it take to break them in? Can I comfortably walk a mile in them? If the answer is often probably a long time, or no, back to the shelf they’ll go. But it wasn’t until I tore my ACL this past spring that my shoe choices became even more important—comfort and support far outweighed any semblance of style more than ever before.
After being on crutches for a little over two months, the foot on my injured leg experienced a new level of discomfort when it finally had to bear weight again. Every step brought on some sort of ache; it was like my feet had forgotten what it meant to function normally. And then, throw in an increasingly rigorous physical therapy schedule over the course of many months—pain, pain, and more pain.
Therefore, when I got offered the chance to try out Walk Fulton’s shoe inserts, I quickly accepted. Not only because they promise to offer support that aligns with your body, and in turn prevent foot, knee, and back pain, but because it eliminated the need to buy a whole new shoe collection for my ACL journey ahead; I could simply slip them into my existing plethora of sneakers.
What are Walk Fulton Insoles?
Walk Fulton has three different insoles—a pair for everyday relief, a pair for high-impact and athletic performance, and a pair for hard-to-fit shoes, like boots, flats and more—that offer a range of benefits. The brand claims they will help combat pain across several areas of the body, prevent your ankles from rolling while walking, protect your joints from aggressive impact, and even help support those with Plantar Fasciitis.
Each insole features a shock absorbing cork material, a deep heel cup to stabilize your foot, a natural foam for cushioning and custom arch support. It’s worth noting that they were designed for all arch types, since they mold to the way you walk within a given pair of shoes.
Our Review of the Walk Fulton Insoles
I tested out both the Classic Insole and the Universal Insole to see if they would alleviate foot and knee pain throughout my daily life. I specifically added the classic insole to the sneakers I wore to physical therapy in the hopes they would provide some added foot and knee support during my exercises.
The Classic Insoles
On Sale 20% off
The Universal Insoles
On Sale 20% off
I initially found them a little awkward to put inside my shoes, but once I began wearing them regularly, I did find they eventually settled in. I won’t say either option felt like I was immediately walking on clouds, in the way some expertly-designed athletic sneakers feel on their own, but I did notice how the added support helped protect against feeling the full impact of certain movements, like going down the stairs, jumping and simply walking on pavement, all things that were suddenly more difficult for me.
The Universal Insoles also made it possible for me to wear shoes I wouldn’t normally reach for during my healing journey, like a pair of boots. The Classic Insoles helped the break in process go more smoothly for new pairs I did buy, or for revamping my favorite pair of sneakers that had already worn cushioning from previous extensive wear.
In addition, StyleCaster’s Entertainment Writer, Lea Veloso, put the Athletic insoles to the test, and remarked on how they “were very comfortable from the get-go.” She shared, “Granted, my shoes already had athletic built insoles in them, but I would always feel soreness around the middle of my foot due to impact whenever I ran. Even when I’m walking or running miles, these insoles help make my foot a little bit lighter and soften the blow. When I get home and take off my shoes, I don’t feel pain at all and that makes a huge difference in my day.”
The Athletic Insole
On Sale 20% off
I’ve continued to make use of both the insoles ever since I received them a few months ago. I do credit experiencing less pain from extensively rehabbing my knee (and simply getting back to regular, daily movements) to them, and will keep them in my shoe rotation even after I’m considered “fully healed.”
Whether you’re dealing with an injury of your own or simply want extra foot support, Walk Fulton is currently offering a Black Friday deal on all of its insoles; get 20 percent off sitewide with no code needed.