Plantar Fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain, so when you are suffering from painful heels the best shoes for plantar fasciitis are going to be an important consideration.
Sometimes your heel will be so sore that you can’t put it on the ground, especially when you first get out of bed in the morning and a stabbing pain radiates from the heel.
When you start to move around the pain usually subsides, but will often return later in the day, especially if you are standing for long periods of time.
If you are overweight or wear shoes with poor support you are at increased risk, if you are a runner you will possibly develop plantar fasciitis.
When you are running you probably won’t feel the pain, but when you finish exercising the pain will most likely come back.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is underneath your foot and supports the arch, absorbing shock when you walk. If the stress on the plantar becomes too much, small tears occur in the fascia, but it is not totally clear why.
It most commonly occurs between the ages of 40and 60 and is idiopathic, meaning the cause is unknown, but there are certain risk factors, and if you are a retail shop assistant on your feet all day, you are at risk, so the right shoes will be important to you.
People who are overweight and on their feet will possibly get plantar fasciitis so some areas of work like policing and nursing will require the best shoes for plantar fasciitis.
What Aggravates Plantar Fasciitis
You can’t ignore plantar fasciitis as it results in chronic heel pain, it should be treated.
Standing on your feet for a long time can irritate your plantar fasciitis, so it is important to see your podiatrist and also to get the correct shoes for standing on your feet.
If there are tears in your fascia they will need to heal.
Is Walking Barefoot Good For Plantar Fasciitis?
A friend was recently diagnosed with plantar fasciitis following a month at the beach where he walked barefoot for miles every day, mistakenly thinking it was good for his feet.
When he returned home and visited the Podiatrist because of terrible heel pain, he was told that he had developed plantar fasciitis from walking through the soft uneven sand.
The sand and bare feet had exacerbated the condition, and after a month’s holiday, he was in severe pain. He had also gained 8 lbs and that probably didn’t help either.
The message is if you love to walk on the beach go for short walks on the hard sand just near the tide line.
So, soft uneven sand is not good to walk barefoot on, and when you have bare feet always walk on an even firm surface. If you are a runner wear your running shoes and don’t overstride.
Does Plantar Fasciitis Go Away?
Although the best treatment is to avoid it in the beginning, it will go away with the right treatment.
* Try not to be tense when you walk or run.
* Buy the best shoes for plantar fasciitis.
* Try some stretches prescribed by your foot care specialist.
* Rest your feet when possible
* Lose weight, if you are overweight this makes a difference.
* If you are in pain, ask the doctor to recommend pain relief
In extreme cases, a surgical repair of the fascia may be required, but this would be unusual.
What Shoes Work Best For Plantar Fasciitis?
Old worn-out shoes that don’t bend at the ball of the foot, get rid of them. This is where you need the support, and a lack of support can cause plantar fasciitis to develop.
If you are overweight the shoes you wear are even more important, because of the added pressure placed on the heels by the weight, and this is a difficult cycle because you want to run to lose weight, but running while heavy is another risk factor.
So buy the best shoes, do another exercise to lose some weight, and then you can start running.
Best Men’s Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
Running
* Running, Brooks adrenaline GTS 20, rubber sole, mesh, and synthetic shoe for running will support the arch and cushion your heels while running.
* Asics gel, running shoe well-cushioned and comfortable for your exercise routine. Rubber sole, synthetic, and mesh.
* Taos Footwear, comfort lace-up sneakers with arch support. Canvas, lace-ups with cushioned sole.
* New Balance 481 V3 Trail Running Shoe. Perfect for those suffering from Plantar Fasciitis, don’t run too far until you recover.
Walking, Men Day To Day Wear
* Orthofeet most comfortable walking shoes. Has an ortho-cushion to rest your foot day-to-day while it recovers. It will rest the heel and ease the pain. It is ideal to wear these while recovering from plantar fasciitis.
* Vionic Men’s Walker, leather or suede walking shoe with a rubber sole. Another good choice for men with plantar fasciitis supports the arch and rests the heel.
* David Jones Rockport Edge Hill Walking Shoe. Quite expensive, men’s shoes for those suffering from plantar fasciitis. Cushioned sole, a leather shoe with arch support. Very stable for walking in.
Men On A Building Site With Plantar Fasciitis, Best Work Boots
* Skechers Workshire Men’s Steel Toe Cap Safety Boot, to protect and cushion your feet at work
* Men’s Workguard Defence SBP Waterproof leather cushioned work boot. Steel Toe scores 98.2 for safety.
* Timberland PRO Men’s Hyperion Work Boot/ scores 98.4 for safety, higher than most.
* Caterpillar Men’s Manifold Work Boots, Waterproof nonslip, cushioned sole scores 98 for safety.
Staying safe and protecting your feet on the worksite is very important, and a steel-capped toe will be good if you drop a hammer on your toe or worse.
The boots chosen are all recommended for plantar fasciitis.
Best Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis Women
Running
* Asics Gel, comfortable for the arch and well-cushioned.
* Brooks Ariel 20, rubber-soled cushioned to support your run in total comfort.
* Mizuno women’s Wave Rider
Walking And Shoes For The Office
* Dansko women’s slip-on. A very comfortable flat shoe for day-to-day wear. Good arch support and cushioned sole.
* Clarks Cheyn Madi Women’s Leather Loafer. Will give you absolute comfort for your day in the office.
* Chaco Women’s Torrent Pro very comfortable flat shoe for the office.
* See Women’s orthotic flat sandal suitable for plantar fasciitis, wear to the office during Summer
How Long Do You Wear The Recommended Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis?
You have been wearing the recommended shoes for nearly six months and are recovering from plantar fasciitis, you ask the doctor how long you should continue, the doctor says that this depends on the following.
* What type of shoes do you usually wear? If you are a woman are you going back to high heels?
* Are you a runner, have you stopped running for now.
* Are you on your feet all day?
* Is this your first bout of plantar fasciitis?
* What eases your symptoms.
* What worsens your symptoms.
The answer will depend on your answers to all these questions.
Surgical Procedures And Other Treatments
You may have to continue to wear the best shoes for plantar fasciitis a bit longer, and treatments that may be recommended for severe cases are.
* Steroid injections, for temporary pain relief.
* Sound waves into the heel to stimulate healing.
* Ultrasonic tissue repair, using a needle probe that vibrates to break up damaged tissue.
* Surgery in extreme cases.
* Further tests.
* Referral to a specialist
* Ongoing pain killers.
* Physiotherapy exercises to strengthen the area.
Once We Are Better We Need To Know That It Can Flare-Up
The condition actually affects 1 in 10 adults, usually affecting one foot, but it can affect both feet. You will know when the condition flares up from the familiar stabbing pain in the heel often with a hot tingling sensation.
If you have gained weight over the winter, it may flare up, and if you are middle-aged or older you are at greater risk of plantar fasciitis occurring.
If you are going to take up running again now that summer is coming, wear the best supportive shoes, and try to lose some of the winter weight.
If you have a bad flare-up, you will be required to rest your foot, and no one wants that to happen.
Overpronation When Running
This occurs when your foot hits the ground too hard, forcing the ankle inwards so that the foot is flat on the ground. It can lead to stretching and tearing, placing strain on the heel.
Some people for whatever reason will develop arthritis when they are middle-aged. and it is often attributed to genetics. If you have arthritis it can lead to plantar fascia flare-ups.
Toe alignment may cause plantar fasciitis flare-up, this is being currently researched as a reason for pain in the heel.
Driver’s foot and the way that we drive can also influence a flare-up of the plantar fascia leading to plantar fasciitis.
All of the above can be reasons for a flare-up of your condition, so if you have a demanding job you need to do your best to stay well and wear the
Can You Cure Plantar Fasciitis
In most cases, you will be able to cure your plantar fasciitis. You may have to be prepared to do the following.
* Lose some weight.
* Rest your feet by limiting the time you spend on them.
* Give up smoking to increase the blood flow to your feet.
* Ice your heel, freeze a golf ball and use it to massage the bottom of your heel, reduces inflammation.
* Don’t use heat pads, this will make symptoms worse.
* Wear a night splint to align your foot correctly.
* Wear the right shoes.
* Don’t walk around on bare feet.
* If you have flat feet use inserts in your shoes.
You may find that you have to wear prescribed shoes for the rest of your life, but if you are pain-free and going about your daily routine it will probably be worth it.
Some people say that reflexology helps them after a few sessions, and as it works on the joints of the foot it is worth a try.
Another article says that you should always wear toe separators to realign your toes. Most people agree that you will require a long-term strategy to get rid of it for good.
Exercises For Plantar Fasciitis
If you go along to the Sports Medicine Doctor they will give you some exercises to do that should make your recovery faster.
You will need to do them every day. They may also require that you wear a night splint to stretch your plantar fascia while you sleep You will be required to wear this splint every night for a constant stretch to be maintained through the night so that this is effective towards your cure.
When you return to the Sports Medicine Doctor he will determine when the splint comes off and may even fit you with a walking cast on your leg.
This is done to hold the foot in place for several weeks, these are normally fitted by the podiatrist. It will not have to be worn for more than two weeks.
After this is completed you should feel that your plantar fascia is much more comfortable and feels flexible when you walk.
Conclusion
As you can see the shoes are important, but they don’t tell the whole story and your total holistic care is involved in your recovery from this uncomfortable and painful condition.
While you are suffering from pain it is important that you get at least three pairs of shoes to aid your recovery.
Get some exercise shoes and two pairs of best shoes for plantar fasciitis day to day wear, as you will need them to wear to work.
Part of the problem is often keeping old shoes too long, and they no longer give you the required support. So you will be doing your feet a favor and investing in their comfort.
