Hard floors · Long shifts · Steady footing
Insoles for standing all day — the floor stops taking it out of you
Same worker. Same boots. Springbak® beneath your feet—through every shift.
Concrete, tile and sealed vinyl return none of the energy you put into them, and a shift spent standing still loads your feet harder than one spent walking. Springbak® Springsoles are 3/32 of an inch of the most resilient material in the world, and they go under the insole already in your work shoes. In force plate testing at Weber State University, it took more than twice the force to push a person off the plate while standing on Springsoles as it did without them.
Who spends the day standing
The floor does not care what the job is. If your shift happens on a hard surface, the arithmetic underfoot is the same.
Nurses & hospital staff
Twelve-hour shifts on sealed concrete and vinyl tile, most of it standing, with no chance to sit when your legs start talking.
Teachers
Six hours on your feet in front of a class, then hall duty, all of it on the hardest floor in the building.
Retail, hospitality & food service
Standing behind a counter or a line, pivoting on the same spot on a mat-over-concrete floor for a whole shift.
Warehouse, manufacturing & trades
Steel-toe boots on concrete, carrying and lifting, where footing has to be sure and legs are done before the day is.
Barbers, stylists & dental staff
Standing nearly still for hours, leaning and reaching, which loads your feet harder than walking does.
Anyone at home on hard floors
Tile and hardwood give nothing back either. Household hours add up the same way a shift does.
Why a resilient layer beats a thicker one
Hard floors return none of your energy
Concrete, tile and sealed vinyl absorb the energy of every footfall and give none of it back. Over a shift your feet, legs and lower back pay for every one of those steps. Springsoles are made from 1,4-polybutadiene — one of the most resilient materials in the world — so instead of swallowing each step, the layer under your foot returns a share of that energy into the next one.
Standing still is the hardest part
Walking shares load between legs and moves it around. Standing in one place does not. That is why a stationary shift can hurt more than a walking one, and why a stable, resilient base underfoot matters most to people who stand rather than move.
Grounded stance: over twice the force to displace you
In force plate testing at Weber State University's human performance lab, it took more than twice the force to push a person off the plate while standing on Springsoles as it did standing in the same shoes without them. That is the anchoring effect — a measured stability difference, standing still. On a wet kitchen floor, a loading dock or a hospital corridor, steadier footing is worth as much as comfort.
3/32 of an inch — your work shoes still fit
Springsoles slide under the insole already in your shoes or boots. Nothing about your fit, your lacing, your safety toe or your prescribed orthotic has to change, so nothing about your footwear has to be re-broken-in.
The force plate study
The grounded-stance finding, in plain terms
Springsoles were tested on a force plate at Weber State University's human performance lab. Standing on Springsoles, it took more than twice the force to displace the subject off the plate than it did standing in the same shoes without them. The finding held for athletes and for people simply standing — which is the situation a nurse, a machinist or a stylist is in for most of a shift.
“Our department sponsored a strength and stability study at the Weber State University human performance lab. After reviewing the force plate data, showing it took more than twice the force to push off the subjects off the force plate when standing on Springsoles, we have to conclude there is significant strength increase to individuals utilizing Springsoles.”
That stability comes from the material, not from bulk — and it is covered by four U.S. patents, the first ever issued for performance-enhancing shoe components. See the four U.S. patents and the Weber State force plate study or the full lab record.
Insole vs. midsole layer
Full-length replacement insoles vs. a Springbak® midsole layer
Almost every performance insert on the market is a replacement insole: you pull your shoe's sock liner out and put theirs in instead. Springbak® works the other way — it is a thin midsole layer that goes in as well as your insole, so your factory insole can stay in the shoe. For anyone on their feet all shift that matters twice over: your work boot was engineered around its own footbed, and you stand on it for hours.
| Product category | What it is | Where it sits | Typical thickness | What it does with impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springbak® Springsoles | A 3/32" resilient 1,4-polybutadiene sheet, trimmed only if needed for a flat fit, made in the USA and covered by four U.S. patents. | Added under your shoe's own insole (or on top of a sewn-in pad). Your factory insole stays in the shoe. | 3/32 in (≈2.4 mm), even from heel to toe | A resilient layer designed to compress under load and return toward its shape; energy return is the intended material function, not a measured basketball result. |
Sources | ||||
| Carbon-plate performance insoles (e.g. VKTRY VK Insoles) | A moulded, sport-specific carbon-fiber plate with a foam top cover, fitted by shoe size and athlete weight. | Replaces your shoe's insole — the factory sock liner comes out and stays out. | Full-length insole stack; considerably taller than a bare midsole layer | Flexes and rebounds as a plate. Because it replaces the insole, it also changes footbed shape and internal shoe volume. |
Sources | ||||
| Cushioned replacement insoles (e.g. Spenco) | Full-length foam, gel or PU insoles built around comfort, arch shape and pressure relief. | Replaces your shoe's insole. | Typically several millimetres, often heel-loaded | Designed primarily to absorb and spread impact rather than return it. |
Sources | ||||
| Viscoelastic shock-absorbing insoles (e.g. Sorbothane) | Full-length inserts made from a viscoelastic polymer specified for shock absorption and vibration damping. | Replaces your shoe's insole. | Full-length insole thickness, varies by model | Damps impact energy by design — that is the stated purpose of a viscoelastic material. |
Sources | ||||
| Structured support insoles (e.g. Superfeet, custom orthotics) | A rigid or semi-rigid shell with arch and heel posting, sometimes prescribed by a practitioner. | Replaces your shoe's insole. | Full-length shell plus posting | Generally built to support and position the foot rather than marketed for energy return; prescribed orthotics are medical/support devices used according to clinician guidance. |
Sources | ||||
| Your factory insole / sock liner | The die-cut foam liner your shoe was designed and fitted around. | Already in the shoe — and with Springbak®, it stays there. | ≈1–5 mm depending on the shoe | Typically a comfort and fit layer that is not marketed for engineered energy return; construction varies by shoe model. |
Sources | ||||
We add, we don't replace
Springbak® is not a new insole and not a new shoe — you add one thin resilient layer rather than replacing the footbed. The 3/32-inch layer is designed to minimize changes to shoe fit. Confirm actual fit, heel position, lockdown, lace tension, plate feel and ankle-brace compatibility in your own basketball shoes before training or competition.
Sized for your shoe, trim only if needed
One pair covers a size range and is trimmed at the toe to your own foot outline, so a snug performance last is not a problem.
Return, not absorb
Many cushioning products are designed mainly to absorb impact. Springbak®'s 1,4-polybutadiene layer is designed to compress and return toward its shape. Separately, Weber State force-plate testing found that more than twice the force was required to displace a person standing on Springsoles — a standing measurement, not a measure of basketball movement.
Sources: every description above is taken from the named manufacturer's own official website. Springbak, Inc. is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by or partnered with any of these companies, and none of them have reviewed or approved this comparison. Links open the manufacturer's own site so you can read their wording first-hand.
Comparison of product categories based on each manufacturer's own publicly published product descriptions, current as of August 2026. VKTRY, Spenco, Sorbothane, Superfeet and all other names are trademarks of their respective owners, are used here for identification and comparison only, and imply no affiliation with, sponsorship by or endorsement by Springbak, Inc. — in either direction. Product designs and specifications change — check the manufacturer's current listing before buying. Springbak® makes no performance claim on behalf of any other brand.
Force-Plate Stability Study
In force-plate testing, subjects standing on Springbak® Springsoles showed more than twice the overall resistance to being pushed from their position.
In plain English: they were harder to move. They could hold their ground better against a sideways push—exactly the kind of stability athletes need when planting, cutting, jumping, landing, and absorbing contact.
Springbak® gives the foot a more stable, responsive platform to work from inside the shoe.
Results are from the force-plate testing described in U.S. Patent No. 6,589,630 B1. Individual results vary.
Fitting them in work shoes and boots
- 1.Try the Springsole without trimming first.
- 2.If the factory liner is removable, remove it and place the Springsole underneath it.
- 3.If the liner is lightly glued, gently pull to see whether it releases cleanly. If it does, place the Springsole underneath it.
- 4.If the liner begins to tear, stretch, deform, or resist removal, stop and leave it in place. Put the Springsole on top instead.
- 5.Never force out a firmly bonded or stitched liner.
- 6.Trim only if needed for a flat fit, starting at the toe/forefoot and removing a very small amount at a time.
- 7.Do not trim the heel and do not unnecessarily narrow the sides.
- 8.Recheck the fit after every small trim.
- 9.Wearing a prescribed orthotic? Follow the same liner rule and ask your clinician before adding a layer.
- 10.Put a pair in every pair you actually work in, so your footing feels identical shift to shift.
Made in the USAShop now
Add Springsoles to your cart
One pair covers the shift, the commute and the weekend. Order your size range and trim the toe to fit.
Springbak US Men's Size
US men's sizing — trim only if needed
Checking price…Springbak US Women's Size
US women's sizing — trim only if needed
Checking price…Tracked shipping from Springbak® — U.S. shipping $7.95. International shipping calculated at checkout.
Questions from people on their feet all day
What are the best insoles for standing all day on concrete?
Look for two things: a material that returns energy instead of only absorbing it, and a profile thin enough that your work shoe still fits correctly. Springbak® Springsoles are 3/32 of an inch of 1,4-polybutadiene, one of the most resilient materials in the world, and they sit under the insole already in your shoe. Thick foam feels soft in the store and flattens out under a shift; resilience is what still works at hour ten.
Do these help with foot and leg fatigue at the end of a shift?
That is the most common thing people on their feet all day report to us. Hard floors return none of the energy you put into them, so every step costs you the full amount. A resilient layer under your foot returns part of each step, which is what reduces the beat-up feeling by the end of a long day. Springsoles are not a medical device and do not treat any condition.
Are these good insoles for nurses working 12-hour shifts?
Yes — nurses, hospital techs and dental staff are among the people who buy them most, because a hospital floor is about the hardest surface anyone works on and the shifts are the longest. They fit in clogs, sneakers and slip-resistant work shoes with removable insoles.
Will they fit in steel-toe work boots?
At 3/32 of an inch they fit under the removable liner in many safety-toe boots. Try the Springsole untrimmed and confirm it lies completely flat with no pressure against the front of the boot. Never force out a firmly bonded or stitched liner; put the Springsole on top instead.
Do they help with balance and stability on slick or uneven floors?
Force plate testing at Weber State University found it took more than twice the force to displace a person standing on Springsoles compared with standing without them. That anchoring effect is the same finding we cite for linemen and for seniors, and it applies to anyone standing on a wet, waxed or uneven floor.
Can I use them with my orthotics or arch supports?
Keep your prescribed orthotic or arch support and ask your clinician before adding a layer. If it is removable, place the Springsole underneath it; never force out a firmly bonded or stitched liner.
How long do they last and what do they cost?
Each pair is made in the USA. 1,4-polybutadiene is chosen for resilience rather than cushioning, so it does not pack down and go flat the way foam does under daily wear.
What size should I order?
Order your US men's or US women's size range. If you are between ranges, order the larger one and try it untrimmed first. If needed, trim only the toe or forefoot in very small amounts, checking after every cut; never trim the heel or unnecessarily narrow the sides.
References & sources
- Springbak® — the four U.S. patents and the lab record
- Springbak® — force plate and stride studies in full
- Springbak® — insoles for seniors: balance and stability
- Weber State University — human performance lab (study location)
Springsoles are footwear components, not a medical device. They do not diagnose or treat any condition — ask your doctor about your own situation.
Not sure which size or which shoes?
Tell us what you stand on and what you wear to work, and we will tell you exactly which pair to order and how to trim it.