An ankle-foot orthosis only works if it fits inside a shoe, and most shoes are not built to take one. A brace adds a footplate under your foot and a plastic shell around your heel and calf, so a shoe that fits your bare foot will crush your toes, lift your heel out of the back, or simply refuse to close once the AFO is in. The best shoes for AFO braces solve that with four things: extra depth and a removable insole, an opening that goes low toward the toes, an adjustable closure, and a firm, low heel. This guide picks AFO-friendly shoes for adults on exactly those points, then covers sizing, split sizes, putting a shoe on over a brace, and the socks that go underneath.
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How we chose: we did not wear-test these shoes. Each pick was chosen from the manufacturer’s published specifications, checked against AFO footwear guidance from orthotists and NHS orthotics departments, which we link throughout. Your orthotist knows your brace, so treat this as a shortlist to take to your next fitting rather than medical advice.
Best Shoes for AFO Braces: Quick Picks
| Friendly Shoes Excursion |  | Best Overall AFO Shoe | Entry: Rear zip opening | Fit: Wide, extra depth | Insole: Removable foam | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| BILLY Footwear Inclusion Trail |  | Best Zip-Around Opening | Entry: Wrap-around zipper | Insole: Removable foam | Closure: Laces plus zip | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| New Balance 928v3 Hook and Loop |  | Best New Balance for AFOs | Stability: Rollbar post | Insole: Removable footbed | Closure: Hook and loop | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Drew Walker II Double Depth |  | Best for Bulky or Rigid AFOs | Depth: Double depth | Sole: Rocker bottom | Widths: Narrow to XX-Wide | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Propét Stability Walker |  | Best Value Wide Walker | Base: Wide forefoot, heel | Insole: Removable | Sole: Rocker profile | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Propét Stability X Strap |  | Best Strap Shoe for Women | Volume: Double insole | Insole: Removable | Closure: Hook and loop | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| SMARTKNIT Seamless AFO Interface Socks |  | Best AFO Sock | Build: Fully seamless | Fit: No-heel design | Top: Non-binding cuff | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
- Best Overall AFO Shoe: Friendly Shoes Excursion
- Best Zip-Around Opening: BILLY Footwear Inclusion Trail
- Best New Balance for AFOs: New Balance 928v3 Hook and Loop
- Best for Bulky or Rigid AFOs: Drew Walker II Double Depth
- Best Value Wide Walker: Propét Stability Walker
- Best Strap Shoe for Women: Propét Stability X Strap
- Best AFO Sock: SMARTKNIT Seamless AFO Interface Socks
AFO Shoe Reviews
More Details on Our Top Picks
Friendly Shoes Excursion
Many shoes suggested for AFOs are therapeutic walkers that happen to have room for a brace. The Excursion names the brace in its spec sheet: Friendly Shoes lists wide width and extra depth in the toe box specifically to accommodate “orthotics, and AFO/SMO”. The entry is the part that sets it apart. Instead of a side zipper, it uses a patented rear opening the brand calls Easy Shoe Access, which Friendly says creates a larger entry portal than straight, lateral or wrap-around zippers. The dual-density memory foam footbed lifts out, which is exactly what NHS and Hanger Clinic AFO guidance tells you to do to free up room for the footplate.
The outsole is flexible and slip resistant rather than stiff, which suits a hinged or flexible AFO but gives less of the rocker roll some rigid-brace users prefer. Amazon splits the Excursion into separate listings by colour and size, so use the size selector on the page, and buy the women’s Excursion from its own listing. Friendly also runs a single and split-size program that covers its whole range, useful if you wear a brace on one side only.
- Entry:Rear zip opening
- Fit:Wide, extra depth
- Insole:Removable foam
BILLY Footwear Inclusion Trail
Billy’s range is built around a zipper that wraps around the shoe, so the upper opens wide instead of making you thread a braced foot through a narrow collar. That is why the brand turns up in orthotist blogs: Cornell Orthotics and Prosthetics names it as an option because the shoe zips fully open. The Inclusion Trail combines a lace-up front with the wrap-around zip and heel pull tabs. Inside, the memory foam insole is removable, so you can take it out to make space for the AFO footplate.
It is a low-top trail sneaker with a faux leather upper, with a synthetic rubber outsole and a closed back and toe, which is what NHS Lothian’s AFO guidance asks for, without looking medical. Zipper hardware does add a seam, so check that it does not sit over a bony spot on your brace. The men’s Inclusion Trail comes in wide widths. If you need two different sizes, Billy sells single shoes through a SINGLESHOE code that you request from its customer service first.
- Entry:Wrap-around zipper
- Insole:Removable foam
- Closure:Laces plus zip
New Balance 928v3 Hook and Loop
If you want a mainstream walking shoe rather than an adaptive brand, the 928v3 is the New Balance we would start with for a brace, and the reasons are mechanical. It is a motion-control walker with New Balance’s Rollbar, a post that reinforces both sides of the midsole to limit rear-foot movement. Cornell’s orthotists note that AFO users often need good side-to-side stability, which is what the Rollbar is designed to provide. The polyurethane footbed is removable, and the leather upper is firm, which matches the “strong and firm upper material” one NHS checklist asks for.
The hook-and-loop version is the easier one to fasten over a brace. Straps can run short once the AFO is inside, and Cornell’s orthotists suggest asking your orthotist or a cobbler to extend them if that happens. If you need more adjustment, the lace-up 928v3 opens further. Some colourways go up to XX-Wide. It is a leather walker, so it may feel heavier than a mesh adaptive sneaker. The women’s 928v3 hook and loop is a separate listing.
- Stability:Rollbar post
- Insole:Removable footbed
- Closure:Hook and loop
Drew Walker II Double Depth
A thin flexible brace may fit a standard extra-depth shoe, while a full rigid AFO with a padded footplate can need more room. That is the problem Drew’s Plus Fitting System addresses. The Walker II ships with two removable footbeds stacked inside. Pull one for added depth or both for double depth, which gives you more room to play with than a single removable liner. The rocker bottom matches AFO manufacturer Allard’s shoe checklist, and Drew adds an extended medial heel stabilizer for rear-foot control.
It is a lace-up leather oxford with a tempered steel shank, so it is stiff and looks orthopedic, and this listing is the men’s model. If laces are a struggle, Drew’s Force V strap shoe uses the same two-footbed depth system with hook-and-loop closures. Because the depth changes with the footbeds, bring the shoe and the brace to your orthotist to check how the heel sits before you wear it all day.
- Depth:Double depth
- Sole:Rocker bottom
- Widths:Narrow to XX-Wide
Propét Stability Walker
The Stability Walker is a long-running therapeutic walking shoe, and several of its features happen to suit a brace. Propét builds it on a wider forefoot and heel base for stability, the footbed is removable to make room for custom orthotics, and the sole has a rocker profile. It also comes in wide sizes up to XX-Wide, which matters because a brace adds width at the heel and ankle as well as depth.
One thing to read correctly: the listing says it is Medicare approved, and that approval is for the Medicare therapeutic shoe benefit for people with diabetes. It does not mean Medicare covers it as an AFO shoe. The space lacing gives plenty of adjustment, but you have to bend down to tie it. If that is the hard part, look at the strap pick below. This listing is the men’s model.
- Base:Wide forefoot, heel
- Insole:Removable
- Sole:Rocker profile
Propét Stability X Strap
Women’s shoes are often cut slimmer than men’s, so depth is usually the sticking point with a brace. The Stability X Strap gets round that with Propét’s Extra Volume system, a double insole you can adjust to change the depth inside the shoe. Take out the top layer and you gain room for a footplate without changing size. The footbed is also removable for custom orthotics, and the adjustable hook-and-loop strap means no laces to tie over a braced ankle.
It is a straightforward walking shoe rather than an adaptive design, so there is no zip or rear opening. The tongue and strap have to open far enough for the brace to go in, so try it with the AFO on before you commit. It comes in wide sizes. For more women’s options built around foot drop specifically, see our best shoes for foot drop guide.
- Volume:Double insole
- Insole:Removable
- Closure:Hook and loop
SMARTKNIT Seamless AFO Interface Socks
The sock is part of the AFO system, and it is the part people forget. Hanger Clinic tells AFO wearers to always wear a clean sock that reaches as high as the top of the brace and to smooth out any wrinkles. Regular ankle socks are usually too short to meet that rule. SmartKnit’s AFO interface sock is knit with no seams at all, which the brand says eliminates wrinkling, bunching or rubbing at the toes, uses a no-heel design, so there is no heel pocket to end up in the wrong place, and has a non-binding top so it does not dig in at the calf.
These cost more than ordinary socks and come in fixed lengths, so check the length against the height of your brace before ordering. The listing above is the adult regular size. For children, SmartKnit sells a child AFO sock pack.
- Build:Fully seamless
- Fit:No-heel design
- Top:Non-binding cuff
How to Choose Shoes for an AFO Brace
Orthotists and NHS orthotics departments agree on a short list of features. A shoe that misses one of them usually fails in a predictable way.
Depth and a removable insole
This is the feature that matters most. The AFO footplate takes up the space your foot used to have, so the shoe needs room under and over the foot. Hanger Clinic’s AFO wear and care guide puts it simply: removing the shoe insole allows more room for the AFO. Look for shoes sold as “extra depth”, or with two removable footbeds like the Drew and Propét picks above. Cornell’s orthotists also point out that “diabetic” shoes often have extra depth, which makes them a good place to start.
A low opening and an adjustable closure
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust advises that lace-ups and Velcro give the most adjustment, and that the lower the opening of the shoe, the better. NHS Scotland’s adult AFO leaflet describes the same idea: a lower opening where the tongue can be opened right down to ease putting the shoe on. Zips, like Billy’s wrap-around design or Friendly Shoes’ rear opening, are a third route. NHS Scotland’s leaflet asks for a fastening that can be adjusted rather than slip-ons, and Evelina London’s children’s guidance says an AFO should not be worn with slip-on or shallow shoes.
A heel height that matches your brace
Your AFO is set at a specific angle for a specific heel height. AFO manufacturer Allard USA tells clinicians to match the brace to the heel rise of the patient’s shoe, warning that the wrong toe-to-heel height can cause unstable gait and harmful hyperextension at the knee. Guidance on the number varies: The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust suggests approximately a 1 inch heel, while Royal Berkshire caps it at 1 to 1.5 cm and warns that too high a heel can tip the knee forward too much. The right answer is the heel your brace was set for, so keep to one consistent heel height and show new shoes to your orthotist.
A firm heel counter and a rocker sole
Allard’s shoe checklist asks for a firm heel counter to control the rear foot, a rocker-type sole at the toe end for a smoother transition through the step, a rubber sole to reduce slipping, and a removable insole to make space for the footplate.
Sneakers over sandals and dress shoes
Orthotists at Cornell Orthotics and Prosthetics note that sneakers typically work best with AFOs for both function and comfort, that AFO users need good side-to-side stability, and that sandals usually do not accommodate AFOs well. Dress shoes are the hardest category. If you need one for work or an event, a deep leather oxford with a removable footbed, like the Drew above, is the most realistic option.
AFO Shoe Sizing, Split Sizes and Single Shoes
Expect to go up in size. The Rotherham trust says you may need a half or a whole size bigger, and Royal Berkshire says to consider at least one size up and a good width. Take the AFO with you when you buy shoes and try them with the brace and sock on. Removing the factory insole gives extra room, so you may not need to size up as far.
If you wear a brace on one leg only, the braced foot may need a different size from the other. Buying two pairs is the expensive answer. Some brands sell single or mismatched shoes: Friendly Shoes runs a single and split-size program that covers all of its shoes, and BILLY Footwear sells single shoes through a discount code you request from its customer service. The National Odd Shoe Exchange, a US non-profit, also supplies single shoes and pairs in different sizes.
How to Put a Shoe On Over an AFO
Follow your orthotist’s instructions first, because braces differ. For most adult AFOs the sequence is:
- Pull on a clean, smooth sock that reaches at least as high as the top of the brace.
- Put the AFO on your foot and leg, push your heel fully back into the heel cup, and fasten its straps the way your orthotist showed you.
- Open the shoe as far as it goes: laces loosened right down, straps fully back, or the zip open.
- Slide the braced foot into the shoe, using a long shoehorn at the heel if needed. Hanger’s guide describes sliding the AFO into the shoe with a shoe horn.
- Check that your heel is still seated at the back of both the brace and the shoe, then fasten the shoe.
Children’s braces without an ankle strap often go the other way round. Evelina London Children’s Hospital tells parents to place that type of AFO inside the shoe first, with the back of the AFO touching the back of the shoe, before the child steps in. Dorset County Hospital’s AFO guide adds that boots with a side zip make it easier to fit the AFO inside.
AFO Shoes for Women
The usual problem is depth. Women’s shoes can be cut slimmer and shallower, so the Propét Stability X Strap with its adjustable double insole and the women’s Friendly Shoes Excursion are the strongest women’s picks here. The BILLY Inclusion Trail and New Balance 928v3 also come in women’s sizes. If you have foot drop without a full AFO, our foot drop shoe guide has more women’s options.
AFO Shoes for Men
Men’s walking shoes may be wide enough but not deep enough. For a bulky rigid brace, start with the Drew Walker II Double Depth or the strap version, the Drew Force V. For an everyday sneaker, the New Balance 928v3 hook and loop and the Friendly Shoes Excursion are the easiest to live with.
AFO Shoes for Kids
Children grow out of shoes and braces fast, so the same rules apply with more urgency. Dorset County Hospital’s paediatric guide says any footwear worn with an AFO should be wide and deep with a form of front fastening, and that trainers are generally well accommodating. BILLY Footwear’s kids’ Classic Lace High is listed with a removable insole and as AFO friendly, and its FlipTop design is meant to make putting shoes on and off easier. Dorset also notes that if a brace is getting too small it may mark over the ankle, or the toes may come over the end of the footplate. Tell your orthotist if you see either sign.
Related Guides
- Best shoes for foot drop
- Best rocker bottom shoes
- Best shoes for orthotics
- Best shoes for ankle support
Frequently Asked Questions About AFO Shoes
What are AFO-friendly shoes?
AFO-friendly shoes have enough depth and width to fit over an ankle-foot orthosis without crushing your toes or lifting your heel out of the shoe. In practice that means a removable insole, an extra-depth or wide toe box, an opening that goes low toward the toes, an adjustable fastening such as laces, hook and loop or a zip, and a firm heel counter.
What shoes can I wear with an AFO brace?
Sneakers and walking shoes work best for most people. Orthotists at Cornell Orthotics and Prosthetics note that sneakers usually suit AFOs best for both function and comfort, and NHS AFO leaflets ask for a low opening, adjustable fastening and a removable insole. Adaptive brands such as Friendly Shoes and BILLY Footwear, and extra-depth walkers from New Balance, Propét and Drew, are common choices.
How much bigger should shoes be for an AFO?
Usually half a size to one full size bigger. NHS guidance varies: one trust says you may need a half or a whole size bigger, another says to consider at least one size up and a good width. Removing the factory insole can reduce how much you need to size up, so always try shoes with the brace on.
Which New Balance shoes work with AFO braces?
The New Balance 928v3 is a common choice because it combines a Rollbar stability post, a removable footbed, a firm leather upper and a hook-and-loop option, with wide widths available. Choose the hook-and-loop version if laces are difficult, or the lace-up version if you need more adjustment.
Can you wear sandals with an AFO?
Usually not. Orthotists note that sandals rarely accommodate AFOs well, and NHS Lothian’s AFO guidance asks for shoes with a closed back and toe. If you need an open shoe for summer, ask your orthotist which designs work with your particular brace.
Do I need two different shoe sizes if I wear one AFO?
Sometimes. A brace on one leg can mean that foot needs a different size from the other. Some brands help: Friendly Shoes runs a single and split-size program across its range, and BILLY Footwear sells single shoes through a discount code you request from its customer service.
Does heel height matter with an AFO?
Yes. An AFO is set for a specific heel-to-toe height, so a shoe with a higher or lower heel changes the angle of your leg. AFO manufacturer Allard warns that a mismatch can cause unstable walking and strain at the knee. Keep to a low, consistent heel and have your orthotist check any new pair.