Best Insoles for Plantar Fasciitis

Are you convinced that no insole or orthotic ever made is going to relieve the paint of your plantar fasciitis?

It can be discouraging when you try brand after brand, and nothing seems to work. Well, don’t give up hope! As the old saying goes…

“Every nice piece of work needs the right person in the right place at the right time.”

You’re the right person, and this is the right time. Let’s scout out tips together for finding the best insoles for plantar fasciitis for you. Let’s start by taking a look in the right place: Amazon, the is the largest online retailer in the world.

By examining positive Amazon reviews and references about the pros and cons of each model of foot orthoses from real people use them, we have found the best inserts for relieving painful symptoms from plantar fasciitis.

But first, let’s look at a couple of basic questions about plantar fasciitis inserts:

In short, best orthotics for plantar fasciitis and other inserts relieve the pain and discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis by realigning your foot to take pressure off your plantar fascia. That’s a sheet of strong connective tissueon the bottom of your foot. It is attached to the ball of your foot at the front end, and to a small point on your heel bone behind the foot.

The plantar fascia supports your arch and protects your foot as you walk. It is designed for strength rather than flexibility. This means that when your arch flattens more than normal, making your foot slightly longer, the plantar fascia won’t stretch; it can only pull.

This causes microtears at the heel, where a lot of force is concentrated on a relatively small point. That tearing is what you feel as the pain of plantar fasciitis. It will heal over time, but clearly the first thing to do is to relieve pressure on the plantar fascia.

This is where insoles and orthotics for plantar fasciitis come in. The best insoles for plantar fasciitis supports your arch so your foot doesn’t flatten out. It also corrects any foot pronation (inward tilting) that might also be stressing the plantar fascia. Finally, the insert cradles your foot, especially your big toe, comfortably and securely to avoid the windlass mechanism that makes walking barefoot so aggravating for people who suffer from plantar fasciitis.

Choosing the wrong orthotic can actually cause more pain. It’s important to get the right type of plantar fasciitis inserts in the first place, and then to make sure that it suits your purpose.

Plantar fasciitis shoe inserts must be accommodating or functional. That is, they cushion a sore spot and they correct abnormal function in the foot.

People with plantar fasciitis need foot correction and should go with functional orthotics for their plantar fasciitis. Studies have shown that they give plantar fasciitis sufferers a better quality of life than other inserts which simply provide cushioning.

You can buy perfectly functional and good insoles for plantar fasciitis over the counter. There are also custom models that are molded specifically for your feet. These are available by prescription from a doctor. Both do the necessary job of providing stability and correcting pronation, but don’t think that the price always means that one type is better than the other.

Believe it or not,

An over-the-counter insert often works better

for plantar fasciitis than the more expensive one prescribed by your doctor.

However, people who have health problems that can worsen if they get blisters or other foot irritation should consult their doctor. If you have something like diabetes or circulation problems, a custom orthotic is probably the better option for you.

Before setting out to purchase an insert, one should consider how they are going to use it. Marathon runners, for example, stress their plantar fascia in very different ways than individuals who need an orthotic because they stand all day at work. Motion control and foot stabilization are among the most important factors for a runner’s insert, while someone who stands will benefit from arch support and an elevated heel.

Whatever the purpose, all people with plantar fasciitis can agree that the best orthotic is one that is comfortable. When you go to the store, bring along the shoes you will wear your orthotic in. While you are there, try it on and walk around on it for a while.

Most people with plantar fasciitis feel quite comfortable with their insert right from the start. Some have very sensitive feet and need to break in the orthotic. This can be done either by wearing it just a little bit at first and gradually increasing the time over about two weeks or by taking the insert out of the shoe for a few hours or overnight whenever it feels uncomfortable to do so, and then putting it back in later.

Now let’s look at the three models of over-the-counter inserts that got the best reviews on Amazon. What pros and cons did their owners report?

In the 1960s, Dennis Brown, an athlete, inventor, and retired British soldier, bought an orthotics lab in the state of Washington in the United States and began trying to make an improved insert. He had help from specialists from the California College of Podiatric Medicine.

He began fitting amputees with custom-molded inserts inside leather ski boots and established the Northwest Podiatric Laboratory. The new field of sports medicine appeared in the 1970s and Brown started the Superfeet company in 1977 to provide scientifically designed, affordable inserts.

Today, Superfeet and the Northwest Podiatric Lab offer a carbon fiber and polymer supportive insert that is designed to fit your heel and sole and to work with your shoe in order to give you optimal stability and support. Different models are color-coded according to the amount of support they provide.

Powerstep builds orthotic inserts for plantar fasciitis of different lengths and offers a range of sizes and cushioning levels. The company says on their website that their inserts are designed by a podiatrist to stabilize your foot and keep it in balance.

The ProTech line offers firm arch support and a deep heel cup effective in alleviating plantar fasciitis, with a medial post for motion and position control. The Pinnacle collection provides semi-rigid support and a cradle for your heel, with plenty of cushioning. Powerstep recommends both lines for people with plantar fasciitis.

This is one of the leading names in orthotics. Spenco Medical offers a range of inserts to meet different needs. Its Polysorb Cross Trainer is built to cushion shocks and has lightweight built-in arch and heel support. The Total Support Original offers semi-rigid arch support and the company advertises it as good for relief for plantar fasciitis pain. Spenco’s Rx Comfort provides lightweight cushioning and friction control to protect against blisters.

Depending on where you live and what you need, a custom orthotics for plantar fasciitis will cost anywhere from $200 to $800 or more. Is it worth it?

Plantar fasciitis custom inserts are expensive because a lot of work goes into them. First, your doctor does a biomechanical examination of your foot and assesses your gait. The next step involves making a three-dimensional cast of your foot, either in plaster or with lasers. Then, the doctor writes the prescription based on size as well as your weight, how active you are, whether you have other foot conditions that need to be considered, and what sort of shoe you will be wearing.

The orthopedic lab will then build your insert out of cork, leather, or synthetic material. This process takes approximately two weeks.

The nice thing about this process is that people with plantar fasciitis get an expert opinion about exactly what their specific problem is and how to correct it. Over-the-counter inserts for plantar fasciitis sometimes make your foot feel better for a little while without actually solving the problem. Using them may even hide a more serious problem. Why not get right to the issue and address it by going to the doctor?

Custom inserts also last much longer; three years on average. In comparison, the average life span of an over-the-counter orthotic is only six months.

However, over-the-counter inserts may be more cost effective for children and adolescents whose foot size changes quickly. As we have seen, some studies show that store-bought inserts work better for plantar fasciitis than prescription models. Some orthopedists also say that too many prescriptions are being written.

Don’t ever give up! There is an orthotic inserts for plantar fasciitis out there that can relieve your plantar fasciitis pain. It’s simply a matter of being patient, doing the research and learning from the experiences of other people to find the best insoles for plantar fasciitis that works for you.