Are you looking for the best shoes for plantar fasciitis? Then this review post if for you. We tested a range of plantar fasciitis shoes on the market and selected the top 5 to share with you.
If you’ve ever experienced a persistent stabbing pain on your heel especially when you get out of bed in the morning then you know all about plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia). (source)
Plantar fasciitis symptoms are more common in runners. People who are overweight and those who wear shoes with inadequate support also have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis.
Causes of plantar fasciitis
Your plantar fascia is in the shape of a bowstring, supporting the arch of your foot and absorbing shock when you walk. If tension and stress on this bowstring become too great, small tears can occur in the fascia. Repeated stretching and tearing can irritate or inflame the fascia, although the cause remains unclear in many cases of plantar fasciitis.
What are the possible complications of plantar fasciitis?
In rare cases, the plantar fascia may rupture spontaneously. The risk of such a rupture is greatly increased by a history of treatment with a corticosteroid injection. Long-term sequelae of rupture occur in approximately 50% of the patients who have a plantar fascia rupture. Moreover, longitudinal arch strain accounts for over 50% of the chronic complications of plantar fascia rupture.
Corticosteroid injection into the superficial fat pad may cause fat pad necrosis, due to loss of the shock absorption normally provided by the superficial fat pad, with subsequent pain during the early part of stance phase with ambulation. This development could create a significant disability in the event of a worker’s compensation case. (source)
Related: How To Heal Plantar Fasciitis Pain Quickly
What to look for in shoes for plantar fasciitis
The best shoes for plantar fasciitis objective is to support with comfort. Experts recommend that you take a look for these key features:
Arch and heel support
While cushioning can be great for comfort, support is key. It’s the arch and heel support, and not the cushioning provided by the footwear, that is crucial in the prevention of plantar fasciitis.
Extra rigidity in the sole and cushioning in the midfoot
When it comes to choosing shoes, someone who suffers from plantar fasciitis needs extra rigidity in the sole and cushioning in the midfoot to prevent impact on the heel, where there is pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
Firm heel counter
A firm heel counter minimizes abnormal stretching of the plantar fascia and diminishes pain and inflammation in the heel and arch of the foot, which are both associated with plantar fasciitis. (source)
Soft impact with the ground
In addition to comfort, patients with plantar fasciitis should look for a shoe that provides the least impact when the foot strikes a hard surface.
From there, the characteristics really depend on the specific person’s foot and what they are trying to control.
For example, if you have a higher arch, the joint is at an angle that restricts the range of motion, so rigid arch support would cause further restriction. On the other hand, people with flat feet and plantar fasciitis should look for shoes with adequate arch support.
The best shoes for plantar fasciitis (Updated For 2020)
We reviewed a range of walking shoes for plantar fasciitis available and we selected the best ones to share with you.
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Brooks Addiction Walker is the best shoes for plantar fasciitis. It is recommended for plantar fasciitis pain across the web, and there are more than a thousand overwhelmingly positive reviews to support this walking shoe.
These shoes come with cushioning and arch support for plantar fasciitis as well as low arches and overpronation (which can occur alongside plantar fasciitis). The midsole HydroFlow technology enhances cushioning by adding dynamic gel units in the heel and forefoot, and the Extended Progressive Diagonal Rollbar provides robust arch support to cradle your most aggravated tendons. This is why it is considered to be the best shoes for plantar fasciitis.
The Addiction Walker now comes with durable, energy-returning MoGo midsole cushioning, a more supple full-grain leather upper, strong support, and a reliable, slip-resistant outsole.
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Flat feet are linked with overpronation in which the feet lean inwards while walking. People with flat feet may also be more likely to develop plantar fasciitis. A flat foot without added support can also cause the foot to be unstable, risking injury. Flat feet may cause progressive deformities.
The Ghost 11’s full-length Segmented Crash Pad accommodates any foot landing and sets you up for smoother transitions. The removable foam insole adds extra cushioning (or you can take it out and replace it with a custom orthotic), while Brooks earth-friendly BioMoGo DNA cushioning design creates a dynamic ride for an energized walk.
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Built for walkers but with all the perks of a great running shoe, this Saucony sneaker gives you an unsurpassed fit for your athletic and casual lifestyle. With cushioning, stability and support features like a visible rear-foot grid system, a forefoot high-rebound compound and mid-foot support bridge, the Saucony is the athletic shoe for you.
The super-plush, full-grain leather adds a touch of class to these well-cushioned walking shoes. A compression-molded midsole shields your arches from impact, and the engineered sole creates a biomechanical fit that guides your foot from takeoff to landing. Best of all, these shoes are ultra-affordable, so you’ll have no excuse for not getting up and moving.
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Orthofeet Breeze is a doctor recommended women’s shoes with arch support, non-binding upper for a relaxed fit and maximum protection against pressure points. The orthotic insoles along with the cushioning soles soften step, enhance stability and improve mobility.
Using its biomechanical expertise Orthofeet has been dedicated to designing the comfortable women’s shoes for plantar fasciitis shoes.
The soft upper, extra depth design and deep, wide toe box ease pressure on bunions and hammer toes, making these orthotic women’s shoes one of the best solution for women’s bunion shoes and women’s hammer toes shoes.
Overall, this shoe’s ergonomic design is perfect for troubled feet. It also comes in a Mary Jane-style, making this pair suitable for casual office wear as well as exercise.
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These men’s orthopedic sneakers are often recommended for diabetes, neuropathy, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, pronation, overpronation, ball of the foot pain, metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, bunions, corns, calluses and hammer toes.
These men’s orthopedic shoes are also engineered with unique bio-mechanical features to help reduce ball of the foot pain, heel pain, arch pain, swollen feet, achilles tendinitis, sciatica, heel spurs, knee pain, low back pain, and to enhance comfort for persons with diabetes, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and neuropathy.
The non-binding upper, extra depth design and the deep, wide toe box allows the foot to relax and spread out naturally.
CONCLUSION
You are better off investing in quality brand shoes if you want to improve your condition. Shoes from random brands may cost less, but they are often of poor quality. Such shoes lack the features needed to improve your foot health. Take your time and go through this review and buying guide to get reliable and dependable plantar fasciitis shoes.
After carefully reviewing all of the shoes, the best shoes for plantar fasciitis in our list is the Brooks Addiction Walker.
These shoes for plantar fasciitis are a very good value for the money and gives and it comes with cushioning and arch support as well as low arches and overpronation (which can occur alongside plantar fasciitis).
We spent 40 hours researching and testing the best shoes for plantar fasciitis on the market. All of this research adds up to recommendations you can trust.
Karen Watson
Karen started writing about health to document her own journey. She fell into some very bad habits and knew things had to change. That’s why she joined us to help as many people as possible with their health issues.
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