BioPed is a proud provider of orthopedic footwear to help you get back to doing more of what you love without the foot pain! We pride ourselves on offering a CORE selection of footwear – these are tried and tested shoe styles that we turn to for their fit and comfort. They are vetted by clinicians because of their orthopedic qualities. The New Balance (NB) 880 has been a member of our CORE program for several years, and continues to be one of our top-selling go to shoes for a variety of foot-related concerns.
We are currently on version 13 of the New Balance 880. This particular incarnation has some fantastic features that provide offloading and pedorthic support for your feet, offering comfort throughout the day. This shoe is truly for everyone, from avid to occasional walkers and runners to even those who use it as an indoor shoe option for work or home.
The new balance 880 footwear features:
Forefoot Rocker:Â The version 13 NB 880 has a 10 mm drop at the ball of the foot, creating a rocking motion as we toe-off during gait. This feature offloads the pressure from the metatarsal heads, or the ball of the foot, making it a great option for anyone with forefoot pain (metatarsalgia).
Neutral Cushion:Â This shoe is classified as a neutral shoe. This classification indicates the level of support throughout the shoe. A neutral shoe has the same level of support front to back and side-to-side; the support and density is consistent throughout the entirety of the midsole of the shoe. This makes the shoe a good option for many people, including those who wear orthotics.
Fresh Foam Technology:Â The NB 880 midsole is a double layer of their patented Fresh Foam technology. Basically, the shoe itself has a softer density midsole for improved comfort and cushion from heel to toe. The double stack increases durability and resilience. The cutouts on the outsole or tread under the heel also allow for increased cushion to be felt at points of high impact, offering stellar shock absorption.
The new balance 880 footwear fit guide:
Width Features: The New Balance 880 comes in a variety of widths for men and women, allowing it to accommodate all types of foot shape from narrow to wide. The shape of the toe box, which is rounder and flared, means that those with greater foot splay, bunions, bunionettes and generally wider forefoots, are able to fit comfortably in the shoe without increasing pressure on painful areas. Women’s widths run from 2A to 2E (narrow to wide widths) and men’s have options from B to 4E (regular to extra wide) widths.
Know your Length:Â This shoe model fits fairly true to size, however, some feel it fits slightly short. This occurs because the toe box itself narrows for the forefoot rocker, decreasing the depth at the front. When this happens, the toe can sometimes rub against the upper material at the top of the shoe before truly hitting the front, however, the discomfort is the same. It is common to increase the shoe size by half (from a 6 to a 6.5, for example) to comfortably accommodate longer toes.
Ideal Foot Type: This shoe is suitable for most foot types, especially when an orthotic is also providing increased support or control. However, a flexible pes planus (flat foot) or overpronation (rolling inward excessively) may have some difficulty with this model due to the soft cushion provided and roll over the sides of the shoe. This shoe provides increased shock absorption and room in the toe box for pes cavus (high arched) feet and supinators (rolling outward) as it distributes the wearer’s weight evenly throughout the neutral midsole.
Overall, the New Balance 880 is a fantastic orthopedic shoe geared to comfort, support and fitting your orthotics well. Take a look at a pair at the BioPed location nearest you at BioPed.com/locations and have our knowledgeable staff measure and size you for the perfect fit.