Knee pain affects millions of people, and it can lead to sufferers leading a sedentary lifestyle. What’s the point in getting in shape if it just leads to more pain? While a good running shoe can’t cure knee pain, it can reduce the effects. Finding the best running shoes for bad knees can help you to increase your daily activity, lose body fat, and hopefully strengthen your legs and knees.
In this article we are going to take a look at some of the best running shoes for knee pain and help you to find the perfect one for you. We will judge each shoe on style (because that’s still important), comfort, durability, and price, before stating which shoe is (in our opinion) the best running shoe.
| Name | Style | Comfort | Durability | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks Glycerin 14 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 13/20 |
| New Balance M890v4 | 2/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
| Saucony Kinvara 7 Running Shoes | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 17/20 |
| ASICS Gel-Super J33 2 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 19/20 |
| Brooks Addiction 12 | 1/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 13/20 |
Best Running Shoes For Bad Knees #1: Brooks Glycerin 14
Brooks are a well known running shoe company that are particularly favoured by people with knee pain. They may not be the coolest looking shoes, and they may not be the best shoes for racing in, but if you have knee pain and are looking for a comfortable ride then you can’t go wrong with a Brooks shoe. The Brooks Glycerin 14 is a great example.
The shoe is all about the support, it distributes pressure throughout the shoe which can take away a lot of the pain on your knees. This is through something called Ideal Pressure Zones. The midsole is extremely cushioned, and it adapts to your running. There is additional cushioning around the heel, which will also help reduce knee pain.
The shoes themselves are just about affordable, and aesthetically they are okay. Some people will love their brash colour scheme and design characteristics, but others might find it a little in your face. But you don’t buy Brooks shoes for their looks, you buy them for the comfort, the support, and to help remove knee pain from your runs. The Glycerin 14s manage to do all that you want them to, and are a great pair of shoes.
Best Running Shoes For Bad Knees #2: New Balance M89v4
One of the most important factors in knee health is shock absorption, shoes that have a lot of cushioning will absorb more shock as your foot hits the ground. This prevents the shock from travelling up the leg. It’s also why shoes that distribute pressure are much better as this will massively reduce the shock.
The New Balance M89v4 shoes are really comfortable, they distribute pressure well, and yet they are still light enough to be excellent racing shoes. If you are a middle or long distance runner, then the New Balance M89v4 shoes are perfect for you. The cushioning will keep you running with excellent form, which will also reduce knee pain.
The aesthetics of these shoes is not great, the colour scheme is eccentric at best! But they’ll last long, keep you comfortable, improve your running technique, and they’re a decent price too.
Best Running Shoes For Bad Knees #3: Saucony Kinvara 7 Running Shoe
Saucony are a shoe company that makes some of the best racing shoes out there, they are well known for it. Their Kinvara series is fantastic for protecting knees. The cushioning is incredible, the comfort is amazing, and the pressure distribution is surprisingly effective. The shoes are very flexible, the shoe’s uppers are designed to fit seamlessly with your foot.
It’s amazing to see a shoe that has as much cushioning as the Saucony and yet is still lightweight enough for you to run fast in. The shoes look fantastic, particularly the white, black, and yellow colour scheme ones.
Aesthetics is something that Saucony excel at, always making shoes that look amazing.
Best Running Shoes For Bad Knees #4: ASICS Gel Super J33 12
ASICS make some really good running shoes, and the Gel Super J33 12 shoe is no exception. The shoes are designed to correct slight over pronation, which is a common cause of knee pain. This means that some people may be unaffected by these shoes, while others notice a huge difference. But even if your knee pain does not come from over pronation, you should still consider these shoes.
The cushioning is excellent, making for a really comfortable ride. The shoes should really help to ensure excellent running technique, due to the extra cushioning around the heel. The rear foot uses a gel cushioning system, which makes a big difference. Aesthetically, the shoes look amazing. Probably the best looking shoes on this list. The price is also incredibly reasonable.
Best Running Shoes For Bad Knees #5: Brooks Addiction 12
The last shoes on this list are probably the best ones for combating knee pain. We looked at brooks in our first entry, and we’re looking at the Brooks Addiction 12 in the last one. These shoes are built for severe over pronators, and would obviously suit these people best. The shoes provide incredible stability, and the amount of cushioning is perfect for people with bad knees.
The midsole is specifically designed to absorb shock and repurpose it so that the extra energy can provide a spring in your step. The Rollbar technology is added to improve running gait and prevent knee pain. The shoes are extremely breathable, which will prevent your feet overheating and perspiring too much.
The aesthetic design of the shoes is the only real let down, they just don’t look nice at all. These shoes are based purely around being as comfortable as possible whilst being worn, and how cool they look is inconsequential.
The cushioning, that is so effective at lowering knee pain doesn’t look very good, and it is a little bit of a letdown.
However, looks aside – these shoes should be purchased by anyone who wants to eliminate any knee pain from their runs.
Final Verdict
After reviewing all five shoes, there is one clear winner. Only the Asics Gel Super J33 12 combines all of the important factors we have mentioned. They are a really good price, they are incredibly comfortable, they look amazing, and should last you hundreds of runs. The Saucony shoes are just as good, but slightly more expensive, which pushes them into second. While the Brooks shoes are excellent if all you care about is lowering pain and enjoying your runs.
