plantar fasciitis - what shoes??

[TheInternetNeverForgets]

Urgh my feet are wrecked. Can someone tell me what shoes I should be buying for doing lots of walking? I thought Sketchers were the go-to but recently saw a TikTok that said this was not the case.

It’s so bad just now. I’ve been kicking around in fake Uggs and platform trainers and I need help 😭

ive got shoes with the right things inside that sort of helps my injury but its always been natural to kick my shoes off when I got home even in winter. if i get cold feet i put socks on but I am thinking maybe I should wear something as it is so painful going up to the loo, kitchen for a drink etc even though it is not far.
is there something not too dear I could try and discipline myself to wear? be handy to have something slightly outdoor safe for bin trips!

Anything with serious arch support. Flats like thin soled ballerinas are to be avoided like the plague. Time is what heals PF as it's caused by tiny tears in the facia. Agony.

Skechers are terrible for PF not enough support. My game changer was to not go bare foot at home or wear slippers with no backs. I too wear OOFOS sliders as recommended by podiatrist.
Hoka and vionic are good for PF.

It’s interesting what works for some as Crocs and Birkenstocks definitely aggravate mine. I dislike Sketchers so can’t comment on those.
Never going barefoot unless on the beach and doing calf stretches every day made the most difference.

I've had PF four times and each time it's been caused and cured by something different.

#1 was a genuine tendon injury whilst running - ice and rest from strenuous injury worked after about 6 weeks plus gentle massage on the affected area.

#2 caused by lifting too much weight on the seated calf raise in the gym - felt my calf pull and this pinged downwards - foot was agony for a couple of weeks
#3 no idea but wore arch supports (bought in local chemist for £10 a pair) in flat shoes, boots and trainers and it went and didn't come back
#4 caused by issue with sciatic nerve towards the top - yep it really did! Cured by acupuncture

I was told that active stretching will make it worse - the issue is the tendon sheath inflaming to protect the tendon so if you stretch something that's already damaged it won't help. I'm not a physio/medic so this could be a load of rubbish.

It's really difficult to say because everyone is different. I made a few expensive mistakes, Hokas did not do it for me. I experimented with various insoles, I also taped my foot which was the thing I found most helpful, along with a decent private physio.

Something with good arch support. If you have a proper running shop near you, ask there. Or google shoes for people who over pronate, these will provide good arch support.

That said, as much as we talk about arch support, I had terrible plantar fasciitis, had very expensive custom orthotics, etc. Then I moved to Asia for a year, where we were barefoot inside home and at work because custom was to remove shoes at the door. And otherwise, I wore flip flops everywhere. It went away and I’ve rarely had a flare up since. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I wfh so spend only a tiny portion of the day in shoes now.

Interesting as I was told being barefoot is the worst thing for PF!

Birkentstocks Arizona indoors and Boston outdoors. Never barefoot, never any footwear that lacks a proper supportive footbed.

I love arch fit sketchers suppose if a flat foot isn't causing your issue it may not help though

I'm amazed people are healed by being barefoot. Going barefoot around the house is what caused mine and i'm years into tring everything to get better.

Another vote for Hokas. Also Oofas for cushioned, moulded flip flop style

I think different shoes suit different feet with plantar fasciitis. Mine are flat and over-pronate and so I need an arch whereas others are fine with vivid barefoot etc.

I wore my normal trainers (Nike running - not because I run but because I liked them) with an insert and support sock. Really helped but I had physio weekly and did daily stretches.

It's awful, I hope you get some relief!

Hokas have changed my life.

Totally pain free now.

I was told this and whilst I was at my worst I avoided it, but once I was healing I went back to barefoot (with a taped foot) and am barefoot as much as possible now. I think part of the issue is everybody's causes are different. If people are overweight then they will need arch support. But there's a lot of stuff online about over supportive shoes being a bad thing and neutral barefoot shoes are better long term. Have a look at some of the barefoot running pages.
But ultimately everyone is different, which is why it can be hard to treat and PF is misdiagnosed often too. Bone spurs can be a problem and the loss of the fat pad on our feet as we age.
It is frustrating and the trial and error is so expensive, especially if you splash out on expensive shoes or insoles and find they just make it worse.

I found that always wearing proper shoes with arch support inserts (Scholl) worked for me. It did take a few weeks but it was several years ago and I’ve never had it again. I do keep the inserts in any shoes I use for a lot of walking.

My chiropodist said strong ibuptofen and icing twice a day
Planter facitist is inflamation of tje tendon. You need to get the inflamation down first otherwise the excercises are pointless.
Shoe wise, soft soles ie crocs fitflops etc no barefeet
I had really suffered for months and it cleared up within 2 weeks

I never go barefoot, haven’t for years now. Tried Sketchers, FitFlops and a few others mentioned by PP’s. I buy all my everyday shoes (currently have 3 pairs) from Vionic yes they are pretty unattractive and cost a lot ( I always wait for sales or often you can get BNWT from people who have tried them and not liked them) you have to go up half a size and the wide fitting styles work best for me. I don’t hike but do 10-12,000 steps a day and they are fine for that.

My podiatrist said my Skechers weren't supportive enough. It's mainly the exercises that will help. And time.
this is what I've also been told