Good Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spur

Last Updated on December 21, 2022 by Ellen Christian

Why do I need good shoes for Plantar Fasciitis? Check out my thoughts on my favorite heel spur shoes and learn how to choose shoes for heel spur pain.

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Good Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spur Pain

 

Good Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis

When I was in high school, my favorite pair of shoes was a pair of gray boots with 4″ heels. I loved those boots & wore them regularly.  Fast forward a few years and I wore heels daily in my office job. I never gave it any thought.  

All the women wore heels and we all complained about sore feet after standing all day.   Eventually, I began working for myself at home and my years of wearing high heels were over.  I wore my comfortable sneakers, flip flops or even went around in my bare feet if the weather was hot enough. 

Fast forward to about six months ago and I was walking upstairs barefoot and felt a shooting pain in my heel. It felt like I stepped on a needle but I looked at my foot and didn’t see anything.  I was sore for a few days but it gradually almost got better… almost.

Except I always had pain in my heel and it got to the point where I had to wear shoes or slippers at all times to avoid the pain. Then I started noticing the pain in my heel even with shoes on. I found myself limping and not able to take my normal walks around the neighborhood.

a woman having a foot exam

What is a heel spur?

After mentioning it to my mom (who I remembered had this same issue a number of years ago) and my doctor, I realized that I had developed a heel spur which happens for some people who have plantar fasciitis. Basically, in response to overpronation (rolling over) of your foot, the muscles are forced to stretch and get longer.

This puts a strain on the ligaments and in turn, the heel may develop a bony growth in the center of the heel. That bony growth was the shooting pain I felt in my heel when I stepped.

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What shoes work best for plantar fasciitis?

Now anyone who knows me or has read my blog for a while knows that I have two fashion passions … handbags and shoes… To say that I have close to 50  pairs of shoes is not an exaggeration at all.  The thought of having to get rid of all my beautiful shoes and resort to *old people* shoes had me nearly in tears.

I found that in some cases I could wear an insert in my shoes to make them comfortable again. Some shoes are just not made for inserts though.  Nothing with a strap on the back or an open side is going to look right with an insert. What would I do during sandal weather? I knew I needed to find good shoes for plantar fasciitis.

Check out these orthopedic insoles for plantar fasciitis to see if they will work for you.

close up of a cute pair of blue sandals

Then one day, an email arrived from a company called Orthaheel.  Orthaheel offers shoes with built-in orthotic support that provides relief for common foot, ankle and knee pain. They are now called Vionic Shoes. When I first heard that, I had an image of my Grandmother’s shoes…. you know… boxy, white, big, unattractive old people shoes.  

Thankfully, I checked out the website and realized that they have the most adorable sandals I have ever seen! There is seriously no way that I would have thought these sandals had built-in orthotic support and were made for people with heel pain.

Are soft or hard shoes better for plantar fasciitis?

In most cases, firm shoes will aggravate your heel pain. Try a few different options to find the best one for you. 

Good shoes for plantar fasciitis

Sandals for plantar fasciitis

Now, the Tri-Planar Motion Control technology helps reduce pronation and relieve pain by providing correct, biomechanical support and stability.  They are podiatrist designed with a built-in orthotic that helps prevent over-pronation.  

They are lightweight and flexible – absolutely no clunkiness about these shoes. I received a pair of sandals from Orthaheel. These sandals have three adjustable straps across the sides and an adjustable ankle strap.  So, this is extremely important if you have a wide foot. Plus, they have a hook and loop closure and faceted faux stone trim accents.

Not only are these sandals super cute, they are also very comfortable.  I love that they are adjustable and the support they offer means that I can wear them comfortably without needing to add an insert.

The fact that Orthaheel’s approach to foot health is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weill (a pioneer in integrative medicine) means a lot to me.  They offer a thirty-day guarantee or your money back which is a great peace of mind for someone with foot problems.  

Orthaheel is now called Vionic Shoes. You can check out the selection right here.

Orthaheel offers a variety of other types of shoes besides sandals including the best work shoes for plantar fasciitis.  So, if you are looking for the best sandals for plantar fasciitis, I definitely recommend Orthoheel.

You might want to check out this treatment for plantar fasciitis that worked for me.

11 thoughts on “Good Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spur”

  1. I am all about comfortable shoes. Normally, I can't wear sandals like this because the top part rubs my foot in a funny way, but these look like they might be an exception.
    Reply
  2. I have had surgery on both feet because of my plantar fasciitis. It is no fun what so ever. I had custom inserts made for my shoes. Which I love. But when summer hit it does cramp my style. I will have to check their site out for sure. Thanks for the review.
    Reply
  3. Thank you very much for this post.  I have had surgery for Plantar Fasciitis in the past.  Plantar Fasciitis is very painful. I always felt like I was walking on a hard stone.  I still feel occasional discomfort.  I will definitely be looking into these sandals.
    Reply
  4. Look do look pretty and comfortable too. I can't wear shoes with heels...not for more than an hour or so. It is way too painful. I'm glad you found some nice looking ones that help.
    Reply
  5. I agree with your assessment of Orthaheel. Love them for the plantar fasciitis. I found some cute pairs on QVC. Another shoes that I like for this foot issue is Chaco.
    Reply

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