Best Fashionable & Practical Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis USA

It might be challenging to choose ideal shoes for plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes pain near the heel.

It necessitates learning what causes plantar fasciitis first and then getting to know your feet.

While a podiatrist or physical therapist should thoroughly assess your feet and their movement patterns before you buy a pair, we’ve reduced the list of possibilities to help you decide more easily.

Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

Here are the best shoes for plantar fasciitis by type and style:

Best Trainers for Plantar Fasciitis

extra wide fit trainers black

Winner: Extra Wide Fit Trainers

Pros:

  • Extra wide fit
  • Perfect for swollen feet
  • Cushioned arch
  • Supportive insole
  • Fully lined toe box (no seams)
  • Wider toe box
  • Laces to adjust forefoot width

Click here to check the price

Best Flat Shoe for Plantar Fasciitis

Winner: Charlotte Flat Leather Shoe

Pros:

  • Excellent comfort, with a wide fit that can be worn all day (and night!).
  • 1 cm hidden heel for comfort.
  • Leather upper and lining
  • Cushioned and arch supported insole.
  • Non-slip sole.
  • Handmade in Portugal by master shoemakers
  • Available in a range of colors.

Click here to check the price

Best Stylish Sandals for Plantar Fasciitis

phoebe flat tanned leather sandals

Winner: Phoebe Flat Sandals

Pros:

  • Wide fit for all day comfort
  • Contoured footbed and cleverly positioned straps
  • Kid leather upper and lining
  • Cushioned and arch supported insole
  • Non-slip sole
  • Handmade in Portugal by master shoemakers
  • Available in a range of colors

Click here to check the price

Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes with a Low Heel

ava low heel shoe red leather

Winner: Ava Low Heel Leather Shoes

Pros:

  • Elegant kitten heel shoe
  • Extra width and volume in the toe area
  • Soft leather
  • Cushioned and arch supported insole
  • Non-slip sole
  • Handmade in Portugal by master shoemakers
  • Available in a range of colors
  • Also available in suede

Click here to check the price

Best Plantar Fasciitis Shoes with a Mid Heel

sara mid heel suede shoe in navy

Winner: Sara Mid Heel Shoe

Pros:

  • Comfortable mid heel shoe
  • HIdden stretch panel in the bunion area for comfort
  • Kid leather lining
  • Cushioned and arch supported insole
  • Non-slip sole
  • Handmade in Portugal by master shoemakers
  • Available in a range of colors
  • Also available in leather

Click here to check the price

Best High Heeled Plantar Fasciitis Shoes

selena high heel pink shoe

Winner: Selena High Heel Shoes

Pros:

  • Ultimate comfortable occasion shoe
  • 3.5 inch heel
  • Pointed toe with a vamp that comes high up
  • Lamb leather upper and lining
  • Cushioned and arch supported insole
  • Non-slip sole
  • Handmade in Portugal by master shoemakers
  • Available in a range of colors

Click here to check the price

Summary of Plantar Fasciitis Causes

Here is a summary of the proven causes of plantar fasciitis:

  • Aging
  • High Intensity Activities
  • Obesity
  • Genetics
  • Supinating
  • Hard Flooring

How Can Shoes Combat These Causes?

Shoes can't cure your plantar fasciitis, but they can certainly help to alleviate the symptoms and ensure it doesn't get as worse.

Here are the important features to look out for in shoes for plantar fasciitis:

  • Arch support - flat feet (supinating) is a classic cause of plantar fasciitis, and so arch support stops that from happening.
  • Cushioning - walking on hard flooring is a proven cause, and so anything that can create a barrier between your foot and the floor is going to alleviate that impact.
  • Wide forefoot - if your foot is too squashed into a shoe, it can't properly flex, which prevents you from forming a proper arch. So a wide fit can improve your foot arch, and prevent supination.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

To comprehend the concept of Plantar Fasciitis, we must first define the terminology.

Plantar refers to the bottom of the foot.

  1. The Plantar - The Plantar is the name given to the sole, which is easy to remember because we put all of our weight on our feet.
  2. Fascia - This is the fibrous tissue that connects bones and other bodily parts.
  3. Plantar Fasciitis - It’s defined as a band of fibrous tissue that runs the length of the bottom of the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes.

The integrity of the Fascia, which works as a body stabilizer, is critical. That’s because our bodies’ weight is centered on the soles of our feet. Its springy characteristics produce a bounce-back effect, similar to that of shock absorbers in a car, providing a smooth ride and effectively protecting our bodies from ground forces when we run or walk.

The body has little protection from the impact of walking or running after the Fascia’s shock-absorbing qualities are damaged or rendered useless owing to injury. The body is compelled to directly endure the stress and strain of those harsh, unforgiving earth forces. This affects the feet and the rest of the body, from the legs to the back and neck.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is characterized by a number of symptoms, which can be:

  • Morning Hobble
  • Morning Heel Pain
  • Recurrent Morning Pain
  • Pain after Prolonged Periods of Rest
  • Contracted Fascia
  • Subsiding Pain

Morning Hobble

When you first wake up and walk in the morning, your bodyweight presses down on your Plantar Fasciitis, which can feel like a dry old rubber band stretched too far. This causes you to unnaturally walk as you try to relieve the pain and discomfort in your feet’s bottoms.

Morning Heel Pain

The discomfort you feel when you first get out of bed in the morning is the first sign of Plantar Fasciitis. As soon as your foot touches the floor, there’s that sudden pain in your heel. Or there can be a dull discomfort that extends down the bottom of your foot to your toes.

Recurrent Morning Pain

It’s no secret that Plantar Fasciitis pain tends to return like clockwork every morning. This morning soreness will gradually worsen over time, and you’ll notice that stretching out the Fascia will take considerably longer every morning. Plus, it will become more challenging over time.

Pain after Prolonged Periods of Rest

Plantar Fasciitis can flare up after sleeping, but it’s also likely to happen after extended periods of sitting or inactivity. This is because the Fascia prefers to contract when the foot is at rest. As a result, the pain cycle continues as you get up to walk, just as it did when you initially woke up.

The pain of Plantar Fasciitis will only get worse as time goes by.

Like two million other Plantar Fasciitis sufferers worldwide, you’ve used the internet to discover more about the condition and the best shoes for people with Plantar Fasciitis.

Contracted Fascia

It may feel as if the bottoms of your feet are cramped, almost hyper-extended, when you first start walking after sleeping or resting. This is because the fascia bands have tightened to the point that they cannot extend and flex naturally under your body’s weight.

Subsiding Pain

Plantar Fascia pain might make standing and walking difficult at first, but it will lessen in your morning routine after some time. This is due to your Fascia Band gradually stretching out and releasing its hyper-contracted state. You might not even think about it again until the following morning when it happens again.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis has been the subject of considerable discussion over the years, although not all of the discussed causes have been shown to provoke it. The advanced study is still being conducted because of the large number of people who suffer from this ailment.

Unproven Causes

These are unproven causes of Plantar Fasciitis:

  1. Natural Fascia Band Thickening
  2. Heel Spurs
  3. Weight-bearing activities

Natural Fascia Band Thickening

The Fascia Tissue can thicken over time if it is wounded and re-injured, which is a natural occurrence throughout your life. The thickening of the Fascia Band, on the other hand, has not turned out to be a cause of Plantar Fasciitis.

Heel Spurs

Heel Spurs are calcium deposits on the bottom of the heel bone that form a bony protrusion. They’re not the same condition as Plantar Fasciitis, even if they are usually associated with it. They are more common in people who already have Plantar Fasciitis, and many with heel spurs don’t even know they have them as these people don’t experience heel spurs-induced pain.

Weight-Bearing Activities

Walking and carrying hefty weights will invariably put greater weight and pressure on the Plantar Region. In general, weight-bearing tasks are only for very brief periods, as opposed to being obese, when extra weight is constantly carried when standing, walking, and running.

While Heel Spurs, Fascia Band Thickening, and Weight-Bearing Activities have all been suggested as potential reasons, none have been proven to have a direct, significant link to the beginning or progression of Plantar Fasciitis.

Research Backed Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

According to research, the following factors can cause Plantar Fasciitis:

  • High-Intensity Activities
  • Obesity
  • Aging
  • Hard Flooring
  • Supinating
  • Genetics

High-Intensity Activities

Beginning a strenuous activity that causes more significant pounding pressure on the foot, such as aerobic gym classes, running on the pavement, military activities, or even Irish dancing, can cause Plantar Fasciitis. The explanation for this is that the Fascia band hasn’t had enough time to adjust to the new stress. Pain and inflammation will develop due to overuse of any untrained muscle in the body.

Obesity

Overweight people are 1.4 times more likely to develop Fascia discomfort. This is because the Plantar Region supports your entire body weight throughout the day.

Obesity puts more weight and pressure on the fascia band, putting the Plantar region under a lot of strain. The Fascia stretches to its maximum under the body’s weight over time, eventually developing microscopic rips and micro-tears. As Fascia has become injured and weakened, pain ensues.

Aging

Degenerative changes are inevitable as our bodies age. Between the ages of 45 and 65, the suppleness of the Fascia decreases significantly, affecting its shock-absorbing capacity. This reduction also makes the Fascia more vulnerable to traumas like rips and microtears.

Plantar Fasciitis affects older athletes more than younger athletes, with severe stabbing pains in the heels being the most common complaint.

Hard Flooring

A link has been shown between Plantar Fasciitis and long periods of standing at work.

This action can either cause or exacerbate pain and discomfort in the Fascia Tissue. Restaurant and factory workers who spend their days walking on hard surfaces or standing on hard concrete floors are particularly vulnerable.

Supinating

Supinators are people with flat feet. Plantar Fasciitis is more common among them than in people with higher arches.

When you have flat feet, your fascia bands are fully extended and lack the flexibility to bounce back and walk more softly. Any additional tension placed on this vital area will have an immediate impact.

Genetics

A combination of genetic and environmental factors can cause Plantar Fasciitis.

Some inherited genes make an individual more prone to Muscle Contractions. A contraction occurs when tendons and tissues shorten and harden, such as the Fascia Band. The band’s suppleness is lost when it retracts and sets, making injuries more likely.

Plantar Fasciitis Pain

A stretched fascia can be as achy as any other over-extended ligament in the body. It develops micro tears when a rubber band is stretched to its utmost, just like the Plantar Fascia band. Micro-tears and rips can form, causing a great deal of pain and irritation.

Is There a Cure to Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is still incurable.

Treatment of the symptoms, as mentioned above, is the sole line of action for the millions of people who suffer from Plantar Fasciitis.

Most of these therapies are designed to relieve inflammation, extend the Fascia band gradually, offer proper arch support beneath the feet, or counteract the Fascia’s contraction when sleeping.

Some sufferers turn to their chiropractor or primary care physician for assistance. On the other hand, most Primary Doctors will just confirm the disease and then provide common home remedies that you can find online.

Only a small minority of people will be advised that their pain has evolved to the chronic stage when it is resistive to therapy. These individuals will be sent to an Orthopedist for further consideration.

Here are some Orthopedic options:

  • Shock-Wave Therapy
    Plantar healing is accelerated with the application of sound waves.
    Pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, and localized bruising are some of the possible side effects.
  • Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections
    For precise pain treatment, these injections are guided by cutting-edge Ultrasound Technology.
  • Steroid Injections
    Used to relieve discomfort temporarily. They may weaken the plantar fascia band over time, causing it to rupture.
  • Surgery
    The Fascia Band is separated from the heel bone.
  • Tenex Procedure
    Plantar Fasciitis scar tissue can be removed with a non-surgical, minimally invasive technique.

Only a tiny percentage of people choose surgical treatment after visiting an Orthopedist. This is because surgery comes with its own perils that might lead to other issues, such as reducing underneath support and weakening the arches.

The good news is that conservative home remedies, such as wearing a decent pair of store-bought Insoles and properly fitting, supportive shoes for all your everyday activities, may fix 90% of all Plantar Fasciitis cases within a year.

Further Reading

We hope you find our article on the best shoes for plantar fasciitis useful.

Read other articles on foot conditions below:

Author: Jennifer Bailey
Jennifer Bailey is the founder of Calla Shoes, and has suffered from bunions for over 20 years. She specialises in footwear designed for people with foot problems, including bunions, plantar fasciitis, and swollen feet. Linkedin | Twitter

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