Best shoes and long-term fixes for plantar fasciitis?

December 29, 2021 11:14 AM

YANMD but my previous bouts with foot pain (maybe plantar fasciitis) are back with a vengeance. There's way too much info out there and I'm a bit overwhelmed and don't have time to comb through it all - please just give me some straightforward advice on shoes, how to mitigate, when do I need to see a doctor/specialist, etc.

OK so this isn't a new issue for me, I previously had a related Ask about 2.5 years ago. This issue hasn't flared up in over a year, but we did a holiday road trip last week that seems to have aggravated it again - apparently sitting in a car for hours at a time with your foot over a pedal really does no favors.

Symptoms: soreness and a "stretched" feeling along both the right arch and in my right lower leg. Gets worse when I try to walk, to the point I start limping a bit after 5 - 10 mins of brisk walking.

Things I have tried: spiked massage ball, taking Ibuprofen, wearing slippers around the house. I also started these stretches a few days ago in the morning. It hasn't gotten worse in the past week, but hasn't really improved much either.

So the info I need:
1) Do I need to see a doctor? If so, should I go straight to a podiatrist or should I see a GP? Maybe I need to see a physical therapist? I have decent health insurance FWIW, but I doubt it'd cover high-dollar custom insoles and the like.
2) What are the best shoe brands that are effective at mitigating these kinds of issues? My shoes are all at least 2-3 years old, wondering if I need to throw them out and just get a new set. I prefer casual work shoes (no need for dress shoes) and sneakers, bonus if I can get it at Nordstrom Rack or DSW.
3) Do I need inserts? I was considering buying these, but have no clue if that's what I need. Or should I just try new shoes first, and get inserts later if I still have issues? If I use inserts, do I need to remove the existing insole from the shoe?
4) Any other ideas/suggestions?

FWIW I think being WFH since the last incident (thanks to COVID) helped (or at least masked) the issue but unfortunately, my WFH days are numbered. Starting in a few months, I'll be going back to long periods on my feet (likely with lots of time standing on hard concrete floors) and a significant amount of walking. Oh, and I'll also be relocating this summer to a non-US city where walking very long distances and using public transit will be a necessity, much more so than the car-centric US suburb I live in now. This last bit is motivating me to get this fixed ASAP, hopefully for once and for all...

posted by photo guy to Health & Fitness (27 answers total)

Does it feel worse first thing in the morning? That’s one of the key symptoms for plantar fasciitis.
posted by bq at 11:26 AM on December 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

I see a podiatrist and wear custom orthotics. It’s the only thing that fixed the issues. So I’d say, if you can, see a doctor now.
posted by decathecting at 11:27 AM on December 29, 2021 [5 favorites]

The thing that helped me most was wearing a stretcher boot at night when I slept— like this one at amazon. I had to wear that thing for much, much longer than I thought I would have to—a year or more.

I did see a podiatrist for a custom insole, and eventually transitioned from that to a pair of orthopedic sneakers I got online (the brand was Orthoheel, but the company is called something else now, I think—this was a long time ago).
posted by Well I never at 11:29 AM on December 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

I developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot about this time last year, and after suffering with it for months, my wife finally forced me to go to a The Good Feet Store location and buy their inserts. The improvement has been remarkable. My foot still hurts if I overdo it, but for normal daily walking it is vastly better. But....they are not cheap. I spent $1300.
posted by briank at 11:34 AM on December 29, 2021

I got some cheap insoles (Dr. Scholl's I believe, possibly these) and put those in my regular shoes and it made a world of difference for my plantar fasciitis; I used to have to crawl out of bed, literally, because my feet hurt so much and now they're fine. I'm not saying DON'T see a doctor (I would never say that!) but it's probably worth getting something like the pair you link in your question at least for now, they could help a lot even if you do end up seeing a doctor eventually. I am definitely NOT a doctor, this is definitely NOT medical advice, just relating my experience.
posted by an octopus IRL at 11:35 AM on December 29, 2021

I totally recommend looking into physical therapy - I sometimes suffer from a different but similar problem (Achilles tendinitis) and my physical therapist was super helpful at helping me understand how to do my stretches better (and giving me adaptations of the stretches to use when I couldn't do them the standard way) and identifying other therapies that helped me heal (like, she did some massage, and she told me to keep getting massages after we stopped PT, and it helps SO MUCH).

But also yeah if all your shoes are 2-3 years old just switching to a nice supportive pair of sneaks might help a lot. And I do use Superfeet insoles myself, they make my feet feel good.
posted by mskyle at 11:36 AM on December 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

What kind of slippers are you wearing? You likely need some arch support; slippers that are basically just a sock aren't enough. (I like the Vionics I have right now, but they are pretty pricey for slippers; a Foot Solutions or similar store should have some cheaper options that you can get to see if a more structured house shoe will be better for you).

As far as new shoes, yeah, you might need some. SAS, Dansko, New Feet are all suggested; I've got issues beyond PF so Dansko doesn't work for me and SAS only some styles work, but all these brands have PF-focused shoes that should help. Ziera's great but I think is mostly women's shoes (works for me, maybe not for you). You'll also need at least two pair once you find good ones, since you'll want to alternate days of wearing (you'll break down the shoes much faster especially in a walking heavy location). Also make sure the width of the shoe is correct; if you've got wide feet, or narrow feet, you'll want to get a shoe that accommodates rather than trying to go up/down a size and stuff your foot volume into the wrong shape.

Oh and depending on the non-US city, if you happen to be in Europe look for Ecco's house shoes. I can't find them here (not the hjemmesko anyhow) but used to love them in Denmark. Oh and bike if you can, it's much easier on the feet.

For what it's worth I found switching shoes much more useful than seeing a podiatrist-- but if you've got an easy way to see one, they can also help suggest what shoe features your personal foot architecture needs, in addition to seeing if the night boot or some other intervention might help.
posted by nat at 11:36 AM on December 29, 2021

I have multiple ways to manage my PF:

1. Limit barefoot time. Always wear slippers with arch support in the house (like Stegmann clogs or Crocs).

2. Only buy/wear shoes and sandals with good arch support. So Chaco sandals, Borns, Vionics. Vionics are designed for people with PF. They tend to have good cushioning too, but the big issue is the arch support for me.

3. Try to buy only running shoes for over-pronators or at least "motion stability". Then I always always replace the insoles with Dr. Scholl's Running Insoles, which are expensive but have much better arch support.

4. Try to stretch my achilles tendon and feet as much as I can. I'm not as good at that, but I try.

5. I don't wear the same shoes every day. Like, if I'm working, I switch my shoes out from day to day, that helps keep my feet from getting into trouble.

Good luck, I hope you find something that helps you, because PF is a pain.
posted by suelac at 11:40 AM on December 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

I used the green superfeet and they fixed my PF. YMMV
posted by backwards guitar at 12:06 PM on December 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

This isn't PF-specific, but family member of mine has a different foot issue requiring custom orthotics, that is also made worse by excessive driving, and has been equally pleased with UpStep insoles versus the super expensive ones from the doctor's office that take forever to get besides. UpSteps regularly go on sale for under $200/pair and if you go to check out with the first, it'll generally offer a second pair cheaper.
posted by teremala at 12:08 PM on December 29, 2021

These aren't shoes but it did help me, so wanted to suggest -- recommended by my Physical Therapist. Freeze a water bottle full of water and first thing in the morning, roll your foot back and forth on it. This always helps my foot.
posted by rogerroger at 12:24 PM on December 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Since you haven't tried insoles and they are available for $10-$30 - I really think you should try that first. I know five people they have helped, including me. An orthopedist I saw for another issue also said I should keep wearing them even if I don't have PF flares anymore.

It will depend on the shoe's fit if you need to remove the existing insert. I have some pairs that just need to be tied a bit looser when wearing inserts and others that must have the insert removed. Try them out by putting the inserts in and walking and sitting around the house for 5-10 minutes. If they're too tight, remove the existing insert.
posted by soelo at 12:56 PM on December 29, 2021

It takes me so long to get through a PF flare-up, that I work hard on trying to prevent it. I never go barefoot. I roll my arches on a tennis ball when they feel achy. I always wear shoes with good arch support. My everyday house shoe are these Halflingers I have very expensive custom orthotics but I also wear Sole brand insoles in my walking shoes when I exercise. Stretching exercises are a very good too. Good luck.
posted by dorkydancer at 1:07 PM on December 29, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks all! Going to try the inserts I mentioned (leaning towards the blue, as the greens sound like they won't work with all shoes) and will get a couple of new pairs of shoes this weekend, figure it's worth trying that for a week or two before paying $$$$ for custom inserts. If anyone has additional shoe recommendations, please feel free to share!

Also trying KT tape, as it seemed to help a bit last time, couldn't hurt to try.

Oh and depending on the non-US city, if you happen to be in Europe look for Ecco's house shoes. I can't find them here (not the hjemmesko anyhow) but used to love them in Denmark. Oh and bike if you can, it's much easier on the feet.

Headed to Stockholm, so I would think Ecco will be easy to find. Might indeed be a good excuse to get back into biking.
posted by photo guy at 1:11 PM on December 29, 2021

This is the not the accepted view, but I stopped with the “Avoid walking barefoot” advice. My experience was all the extraneous physical support weakened the overall strength of my foot.

My experience was walking barefoot gave all the muscles, tendons, and tissues better flexibility and strength.

I also have advised this before—a basic stretch sequence which seemed to really knock it back:
Ten to twenty counts of standing tip toe…Set one --feet parallel, Set two, with heels touching, toe ends angled outward about 45 degrees, Set three, with big toes touching, heels angled outward 45 degrees.
good luck
posted by rhonzo at 1:33 PM on December 29, 2021 [5 favorites]

I'm going to agree with rhonzo. Barefoot, and specifically, walking on the balls of your feet is a good treatment for PF.
PF hurts, many times, in your heel, as it strikes first and then all of your weight presses your fascia forward and down as you stride.
Walking on the balls of your feet does the opposite and provides the stretch you need to allow the fascia to recover.
It can be a challenge to train yourself to do this. I was told to think about running in wet sand, being "light on your feet".

for just plain therapeutic stretches, rolling over a tennis ball can do the trick, but not during a flare-up.
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:45 PM on December 29, 2021

I had PF a couple of years ago. Went to a highly-recommended podiatrist. He gave me a brace to wear, it was useless. Also some exercises, they helped a bit. But what really really helped was a deep tissue massage from a massage therapist who knows her stuff. I am not into woowoo stuff at all. YMMV, but it will feel good regardless.

The right shoes happened to be already in my closet, unfortunately it's a Keen style that hasn't been produced in a long time. Something about getting the perfect difference between the thickness of the sole at the heel (these are flats) and at the ball of the foot. And supportive arches. At one point I ordered another pair of shoes online that everyone on some PF FB page raved about and I could tell as soon as I put them on that they did not have enough arch support.
posted by mareli at 2:42 PM on December 29, 2021

Only thing that helped mine was sleeping in a stiff plastic boot. After a few weeks the symptoms got noticeably better. You get used to it.
posted by egeanin at 3:01 PM on December 29, 2021

My partner suffered with this for years and got custom orthotics made by a podiatrist. They cost a couple of hundred pounds, I think, but when I asked her about your question she said "It's something that will literally change your life".
posted by knapah at 3:21 PM on December 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

I had PF and tried the shoes and orthotics route with mixed success.

What worked best for me was ALSO incorporating stretches. There's the tennis ball under the foot thing, but also remember to stretch your calf muscles. Mine were always super tight and it was contributing to the issue and reducing mobility. I work with a massage roller but I also do a stretch were you put one foot directly in front of the other facing a wall and then lean in towards the wall (sort of pushing the wall) until you feel your calf muscles pull tight. Repeat a few times and then slowly start increasing the distance between wall and feet until you don't feel as much tightness.

These days I trot around bare foot at home without any issues. I still do the stretches religiously though and I really do think this helps.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:24 PM on December 29, 2021

My PF was so bad I was unable to walk. I tried pretty much everything mentioned here and then I found a (for me) magic combo:

* Crocs original-style clog/shoe for indoors. Sneakers with arch support PLUS some PF inserts I found at Walgreens for when I leave the house. The key here is that I never, ever stand or walk without shoes. Not across the house, not across the room, not three steps. I put on the crocs if I get up during the night to use the bathroom. This has had the biggest effect overall.

* I do many of the same stretches you linked to with good results, but this Foot Stretch from Tabletop has been the most beneficial. I do them at least once a day, more if I think of it.

After adhering faithfully to these two things, I felt markedly better in about two or three days. Now months later I am 100 percent pain-free, not even a twinge. (Thank god, because PF is the worst! I hope you feel better soon.)
posted by _Mona_ at 3:46 PM on December 29, 2021

I had PF for years (for a while in BOTH feet). What finally worked for me was a combination of massage therapy (as mentioned above), and “massage” with really strong jets of hot water (in the local Y hot tub). The combo provided a knockout punch. I’ve followed up by always make sure my shoes have great arch support (I use Sole inserts inmost shoes), limiting barefoot time, and making sure my slippers have decent support. Good luck!
posted by dbmcd at 4:00 PM on December 29, 2021

I bought a pair of drugstore inserts (Dr. Scholl's or somesuch) that made a huge difference for me. Also ditched a pair of particularly flat, offending shoes.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 6:47 PM on December 29, 2021

Superfeet blue inserts.
Stretching calves.
Podiatrist.
Night boot.
Cortisone injections.
No flat shoes, flip flops etc.
A combination of the above cured my plantar fasciitis. I'd start with the inserts and a podiatrist appointment.
posted by emd3737 at 11:52 PM on December 29, 2021

In addition to stretching and using this gizmo I bought, which I'm not sure had any effect-the PF may have been going away on it's own, these cheap things made it possible for me to walk longer distances. Sometimes I would double up on them on the affected foot.
posted by newpotato at 12:49 AM on December 30, 2021

To add to the "walking barefoot" comments:

I walk barefoot inside all the time when I'm not in any PF pain. This strengthens the foot muscles.

When I am having a flare-up (rare now, maybe every other year, and always when I get lazy about my prevention) then I wear oofos inside. Never go barefoot. The non-barefoot advice for me is simply to mitigate the pain. Once I'm pain-free again, I go back to barefoot.

Get a band and do resistance exercises - foot inversion and eversion. Also balancing exercise while barefoot -- stand on a couple of hard pillows or towels or something for slight instability and you will exercise all the little muscles in the bottom of your foot while trying to stay balanced.

Calf stretches 3X per day, 10X 10 sec each time.
posted by gaspode at 6:42 AM on December 30, 2021

I had friends who loved MBT shoes for PF. I don’t have PF but my feet and ankles are otherwise problematic. I basically live in Birkenstocks (they make real shoes too, not just sandals!) as I prefer the styles over MBT, but MBT was fantastically comfortable for me as well.
posted by Salamandrous at 6:42 PM on January 2, 2022