Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

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 broad 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. It is now thought that it is likely a degenerative condition and not an inflammatory one as previously thought.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

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

Spending day after day on your feet (weight bearing occupation).
Overweight
Flat feet
High arched feet
Tight calf muscles

As this can be an overuse syndrome, by increasing your training intensity or volume too quickly, this could also be a risk factor.

What are the symptoms?

Those suffering with 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. Wearing the correct footwear is an essential part in reducing your aches & pains when you spend long hours on your feet, as the 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 is it treated?

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 with plantar fasciitis as it is a very good method to initially reduce their pain levels to proceed with his treatment plan. Orthotics are generally very helpful in treating heel pain and if the conservative measure fail then steroids may be considered.

Can footwear help?

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