By Donald Begg Foot Health Guide 13th May 2022

Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis AS RECOMMENDED BY PODIATRISTS

Table of Contents

Plantar Fasciitis is a common foot problem that many suffer from. We’ve asked professional podiatrist Bruce (Podiatry Shetland & Footwear Scotland) for his insider knowledge on plantar fasciitis and his recommendations on the best shoes available for living with this condition.

Our team regularly meets with professional podiatrists like Bruce to discuss case studies and further their knowledge of foot problems such as plantar fasciitis. This attention to detail helps us offer the best possible shoe fitting advice throughout Scotland. However, footwear is only part of the solution in this case. We recommend you consult a local expert podiatrist for more in-depth and personalised advice to address your specific case of foot pain.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

In order to understand why it’s very important to wear the correct footwear when you suffer from plantar fasciitis, it’s best to know what exactly it is. There is a wide band of connective tissue (similar to a tendon or ligament) that goes from your heel bone and attaches to each of the toes and forms a fan-shaped structure. This band forms an important role in the walking motion as well as the mechanics of the foot and lower limb.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

There are a few factors that could contribute to you developing heel pain, such as:

Spending day after day on your feet (weight-bearing occupation)
Being overweight
Flat feet
High arched feet
Tight calf muscles

As this can be an overuse syndrome, increasing your training intensity or volume too quickly could also be a risk factor. It is now thought that it is likely a degenerative condition and not an inflammatory one as previously thought.

SyMPTOMS OF PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Those suffering from plantar fasciitis will often experience pain underneath the foot and heel, especially first thing in the morning or after sitting for a period of time. On occasion, this may improve after a few minutes of walking but after prolonged periods of standing, walking and/or running the pain will return.

What to do at home?

Applying an ice pack at the end of your day can work well as a pain reliever and pain control if you have any inflammation, especially after a long day on your feet. However, wearing the correct footwear is an essential part of reducing your aches & pains when you spend long hours on your feet. Incorrect shoes may exacerbate the problem.

When to seek help?

You should always book an appointment with your Podiatrist if your symptoms have not improved after a short period of stretching. It is vitally important to get an accurate diagnosis of your condition before undertaking any further treatment as there are many differential diagnoses that are treated in a different manner.

How To treat Plantar Fasciitis?

Strengthening your foot muscles has been known to help with heel pain as studies show that there is a correlation between the two. A quick daily foot exercise is advised as well as eccentric loading exercises. Bruce from Podiatry Shetland will often strap his patients who suffer from plantar fasciitis as it is a very good method to initially reduce their pain levels to proceed with his treatment plan. Orthotics are generally beneficial in treating heel pain and if more conservative measures fail, then steroids may be considered.

Can footwear help Plantar Fasciitis?

When suffering from plantar fasciitis you should avoid walking barefoot and always try to wear supportive and well-cushioned shoes. You need footwear that offers great arch support, shock absorption and cushioning. Lightweight and comfortable footwear will make each step a more comfortable one and shoes that have removable insoles will allow you to use your own orthotics if necessary.

Find Your Size

Go to top

This article was written in collaboration with Bruce from Podiatry Shetland which is based near our Lerwick store.