Worst Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis

Dr. Angela shares the best and worst shoes for plantar fasciitis.

I’m Dr. Angela and I’m “The Plantar Fasciitis Doc”. If you have this debilitating condition, here are my top 3 recommendations.

➡️1. Download my free guide. This is the first step on your PF recovery journey. I show you the exact steps to resolve plantar fasciitis at home.

➡️2. Follow my social media pages. I offer daily tips, exercises, and the latest insights on PF. You can also connect and learn from others with the same PF struggles.

➡️3. Take a look at my approved footwear guide, and make sure you are not sabotaging your recovery by wearing the wrong shoes.


🦶PLANTAR FASCIITIS RESOURCES:

Top Shoe Brands I recommend:


💪PLANTAR FASCIITIS THERAPY TOOLS:

Complete PF Therapy Kit:

Foot Rocker/Stretcher:

Fascial Release Tool:

Toe Spacers:

Plantar FX Pain Topical Pain Relief Blend:

JOIN ME ON SOCIAL

[dkeener]

I have a lot of personal experience both with PF, and with foot-shaped and minimalist shoe brands. I will say, I think your advice is good for when PF is in REMISSION and there's not a lot of pain. In that case, building strength through natural movement can help stave off future flare ups. But if someone is just trying to get through long, painful days on their feet and/or waking up with daggers in their heels, then good arch support is necessary, along with stretching, pressure/massage, heat, etc. Once you are through the worst of it then yes, working on strength through less shoe is great.

[leslieaaserude]

I'm 69 year old and run 10 miles week. I have loved wearing HOKAs the last 3years. I love the extra cushion for my knees and hips. I have never had PF. Additionally, I have noticed having several shoes to switch day to day wear is helpful. I worked in an ICU for 30 years as an RN, so wearing GOOD shoes was a must.

[davidhull]

I really liked & appreciated this video, especially how she wasted no time in getting to point, no theory & a lot of useless mombo jombo. She went directly to the point of this is bad, and this is what’s good.
Excellent, thank you ! 😊

[dianamatson]

The magic word she said in the very beginning was "weak" feet. Weak muscles. Barefoot style shoes are the best and doing exercises for your feet and ankles. They take a while to get used to, but they work. You foot actually uses it's muscles to support you. When the shoe provides all the support, you lose your foot strength. I love my barefoot shoes, especially when walking/running. In short, she's right. But that's not what shoe companies want you to hear. Unfortunately, neither do most doctors.

[JJONES]

Funny, shoes like the ones you describe, because I was wearing them on a concrete floor up to 16 hours a day, made my feet far sorer than running shoes you describe as the worst.

[jameshenkelman]

Great info! I had PF, and it went away after switching to Altra for running and minimalist shoes for daily wear. My feet haven't been this strong since I was a little kid.

[snowbike]

I've transitioned from custom orthotics to wide toe, minimal arch support shoes such as Topo, Altra, etc. At age 59 I'm proud of the work I've done on my feet with exercises, toe spreaders, going barefoot in the house, etc. I bike, hike, walk or xc ski every day. After a summer of hiking and biking I did 14 hours of tree work in our back yard...cutting down alders, chipping, walking on roots. Unfortunately I put on an old pair of Keens to do this work and ended up with plantar fasciitis in one foot. I'm devastated as we are leaving tomorrow for a 3 week trip to Colorado to hike and bike. I think I can bike comfortably but can you comment on that? With a stiff sole only?

The question is... now that I'm injured in one foot I'm told by one provider to wear supportive shoes in the house/all the time... so I tried my wide toe box shoes with soft rubber custom orthotics (PRI) and doing walking on my toes/scrunching toe exercises and stretches...massage, etc. After watching your video I changed to my Altra shoes that have a small arch support/zero drop and my feet feel a little better. What do you think is best for flareups? Do you recommend Voltaren or Advil, ice? Some PT's have said to "baby" my feet and not do much and another PT told me to go for two 20 minute walks a day (even if I feel discomfort)...I'm so confused.. Pain alternates from the medial muscle attached to the big toe (R side of the arch) and the left side of my foot. I don't have heel pain in the morning but there is a small spot on the medial side of my heel that I can feel. It feels tight but not painful. Thank you so much for your suggestions.

[dorothyfielding]

I need to come back to this video to let the doctor know that after nearly a year of pain, inability to put my heel down when walking barefoot, inability to attend exercise classes, and many physiotherapy appointments, going out and buying a pair of the zero drop shoes fixed my foot in a week. It was astonishing. Thank you from the bottom of my foot doc.

[truestory]

Great advice and after 15 months of pf, I find your advice to be succinct, accurate and very easy to follow.
I have found it necessary to stop doing most of my other exercises for different parts of my body because there's enough to do to fix my kinetic chain all the way from my big toe to my pelvic floor

[scott]

You are 100% right. I have never heard a foot doctor be truthful and say what you said because they count on damaged feet to make money. 2 painful years and it took 2 weeks to fix it once I switched. It was a miracle.

[aimeelinekar]

I lived in shoes matching your description for years - camper, waldviertler, and vivo barefoot. The resulting plantar fasciitis was so bad that I now have bone marrow edema. I don’t believe this model applies to everyone.

[pensivern]

Nurse of 41 years here-Alegria brand has saved my feet. I recommend the Paloma’s- Maryjanes with wide toe box.

[pixelsu]

Thx to a beachy upbringing, Ive always gone barefoot in the house. For the outside world, me and my high arches love Danskos and Sanitas. These clogs help me remain stable, supported and super comfortable without all the extra cushioning. Been wearing them almost 20 yrs, have no foot problems. My sports medicine doc gave them high praise when i went to see him about a knee injury and strongly encouraged me to keep wearing them.

[ghunghroomisra]

Dear Dr Angela
Your videos are a guiding light . Please guide about exercises and food to eat and avoid . Want to get rid of PF completely..
Regards

[robertavedon]

from Cyndi
It will be one year in Nov. that I switched to vivos. My old regular sneakers feel so weird and bad that I've given all of them away. My feet are stronger and that has improved my balance. I'm 88, so every improvement helps.
🙂

[hrrstrcy]

I’m going to try this. I’m trusting your advice. I’ve been dealing with plantar fasciitis for the last two years. I’m scheduling my next doctor’s appointment as I watch your videos. I’m a schoolteacher who walks and stands all day.

[baldandaboomer]

Zero drop shoes make sense ONCE your PF is under control. You need to support the PF during this process. Calf, PF stretching and insole arch support for me with a very high arch.

[michaelwatson]

I tore the stuff in the bottom of my foot a couple of years ago. After custom insoles and hundreds of dollars i made myself a pair of moccasins. They have a thick leather insole and are custom made to how wide I need. I started wearing them a couple hours a day. Now i can wear them all day. Its like going bare foot with a little protection. It has really strengthen my foot and help heal the injury. It worked better than all the custom insoles.

[dcsmith]

Altra’s for the 2nd year now. Came off using Hokas. Yesterday’s 17 mile Walk/run beat my heel up but the next day it’s like someone turned off the pain switch. I do have to use orthotics with a troft due to fibromas on the plantar fascia. I enjoy listening to your posts!!!!

[Treelala]

You're the best! Thank you for honest breakdown. This is life changing.