A good pair of shoes can make all the difference when you’re on your feet for long stretches of time, whether you’re an athlete or just want to look stylish. But how do you know which shoes provide the best heel support?
We’ve done the research so that you don’t have to. We’ve rounded up our favorite shoes for heel support so that you can pick up a pair today and get back to business!
Best Shoes For Heel Support
Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Brands You Can Trust
Plantar Fasciitis Explained
With more than 2 million patients every year in the United States, plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Specifically, it’s a pain at the bottom of the heel or back of the foot after the strong band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that supports your foot’s arch is irritated and inflamed.
How Shoes Help You With Plantar Fasciitis
Most podiatrists and physical therapists will recommend medication and certain specialized exercises to treat the immediate pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis.
But the long-term treatment and solution require several interventions and lifestyle changes, including better footwear. The majority of cases are due to simply not having the appropriate shoe for a person’s gait and foot anatomy, which can put a heavy strain on your heel and the bottom of your foot.
Shoes to Avoid With Plantar Fasciitis
People frequently arrive at a shoe store trusting the salesperson implicitly without ever researching first the basics of appropriate footwear. And worse of all, forgetting the number one rule of footwear: comfort.
Uncomfortable shoes are typical because they lack —or have excessive—cushioning, are the incorrect size, or are simply not the right build for your feet.
So avoid stilettos or ultra-high heels, flats, flip flops (unless they have arch support), old shoes, or just walking barefoot all the time at home. This last one might sound counterintuitive because you would think our feet are enough; going barefoot can worsen plantar fasciitis. Remember, you’re foot’s tissue is inflamed and needs help; it can’t stand by itself. Avoid wearing brand new shows too much as well. You must first break them in with something else, like putting bags of water in them and then placing them in the freezer, so the ice expands and helps stretch the new shoe.
You can turn many of these types of shoes into comfortable alternatives for plantar fasciitis simply by adding slip-on orthotics, although it’s not an option in most cases. You can’t get a slip-on into some high heels, for example.
Trusted Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Brands
Many people are not familiar with plantar fasciitis until they experience heel pain or are diagnosed with this foot condition. Therefore, if you are reading this blog you may have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis or believe you may be suffering from pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Presumably, you may be familiar with the nasty pain associated with plantar fasciitis but fear not, we have compiled a list of trusted plantar fasciitis shoe brands that can help you eliminate that pain! Therefore, you have come to the right place! Plantar fasciitis is an annoyance to live with; however, you can improve your life by minimizing the pain with a good pair of supportive shoes.
What should I look for when shopping plantar fasciitis shoe brands?
When searching for reviews on best plantar fasciitis shoe brands, there are five things you should be looking for. As a matter of fact, they are arch support, deep heel cups, contoured footbeds, removable footbeds, and shock absorbance.
Great Arch Support
Ideal plantar fasciitis shoe brands should keep you supported through your busy day. Therefore, they should offer you arch support to keep your feet from flattening out and help limit pronation.
Contoured Footbeds
You should also look for contoured footbeds since they help promote alignment by evenly distributing your weight across your foot.
Removable Footbeds
Removable footbeds are great for those who require additional arch support. For one thing, they allow you to easily remove the current shoe footbeds and replace them with most custom and over-the-counter orthotics.
Deep Heel Cups
In addition, deep heel cups keep your heel padded while keeping you stabilized with every step.
Shock Absorption
Finally, good plantar fasciitis brands should help minimize or absorb harmful shock from the ground up. Good shock-absorbing shoes are made with thick rubber outsoles for shock-absorption and traction.
Stability
Don’t let your heel and ankle wobble with each step. Get a shoe that hugs the heel correctly and encourages better alignment of the foot inside the shoe. Stability in a shoe prevents overpronation (foot rolling inward with each step) and excessive heel movement.
Removable Soles
This is a big plus for many who already have very effective orthotics but need a new pair of shoes. The removable sole will make any pair customizable and provide a person with better support than a standard sole.
8 Trusted Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Brands
1. Sovella
Sovella sandals are known for their recovery abilities. They are one of the most comfortable recovery sandals, biomechanically engineered to alleviate the foot stress and soreness caused by your daily grind. In addition, Sovella is one of the best Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Brands for their amazing arch support.
Compared to traditional flip-flops, Sovella offers the cushioning and arch support you need to reduce plantar fasciitis pain. As a matter of fact, the Sovella ORIGINAL thongs cradle and support your feet; so you can stay on your feet all day long.
Price: $
Pros: The most comfortable “recovery” sandals, biomechanically engineered, help alleviate foot stress and soreness.
2. Aetrex
Aetrex shoes are great to help reduce the pain caused by plantar fasciitis; an excellent Aetrex sandal is the Lori. This is a comfortable, low wedge sandal with full-grain leather uppers. This sandal is made with adjustable hook and loop straps for a more customized fit. Equally important, this plantar fasciitis sandal offers amazing support and weight distribution.
Price: $$
Pros: Several styles including dress, casual, athletic, sandals, therapeutic. For both men and women. Wide range of sizes and widths.
| Aetrex Reese | Aetrex Rita | Aetrex Sydney |
3. Dansko
Dansko is a top footwear choice for professionals such as teachers, doctors, nurses, chefs, and others who spend most of their day on their feet. Their shoes are known for their all-day-comfort, due to their features such as anatomically contoured footbeds, amazing arch support, high-quality leather uppers, and leather sock linings. Dansko has a history of making shoes that put support and comfort first!
Dansko shoes such as the Dansko 2.0 Clog is a work-ready shoe with long-lasting comfort in every step. This shoe is a perfect slip-on work shoe with built-in arch support, supportive construction, cushioned footbed, and slip-resistant outsole; which makes it a great shoe for plantar fasciitis. Its footbed is made with memory foam and is contoured for incredible arch support. However, if you require additional support from custom orthotics, Dansko 2.0 Clog’s insole can easily be removed to accommodate most custom and over-the-counter orthotics. This clog has been a staple in the medical industry for decades now. This newest updated version has used modern technology to reduce the overall weight of the shoes while maintaining the support Dansko is known for.
Price: $$
Pros: Preferred brand for teachers, doctors, nurses, chefs, and workers. All-day comfort, anatomically contoured footbeds, high-quality.
| Dansko Paisley | Dansko Fawna | XP 2.0 Clog |
4. OluKai
OluKai provides handcrafted island-inspired designs that don’t skimp on quality & comfort. OluKai’s Ohana sandal is a thong sandal with arch support built-in! This makes the Ohana great for many foot problems like heel pain, Plantar Fasciitis, flat feet, and bunions. The Ohana features a compression-molded, EVA midsole footbed which provides an anatomical fit for sustained comfort.
OluKai’s Nohea Moku features a dual-density anatomical PU footbed and a gel insert. It is made of quick-drying jersey knit or single-layer mesh footbed cover for maximum comfort and breathability, perfect for plantar fasciitis. The insole can also easily be removed to accommodate most custom and over-the-counter orthotics. Many of OluKai’s products offer a drop-in heel, which is a patented design that converts into a shoe or slide. When plantar fasciitis pain kicks in, this is a nice option to let the heel breathe.
Price: $
Pros: Handcrafted island-inspired designs, high-quality, great for plantar fasciitis, flat feet, bunions, and heel pain. Compression-model, EVA midsole.
| Men’s Ohana | Women’s Kulapa | Men’s Nohea |
5. New Balance
For more than a century now, New Balance focused on improving its research and development to give their customer the best shoes possible. So much that, New Balance provides an extensive choice of shoes for people suffering from foot conditions such as heel pain and plantar fasciitis. They offer shoes with great arch support, rubber outsole, and most shoes have removable outsoles to accommodate orthotics.
Both the New Balance 1540 and 990 deliver a smooth and well-cushioned walking and running experience. They offer decent arch support, which is great for those suffering from plantar fasciitis. In addition, these shoes are shock absorbent and offer great traction for a reliable grip.
Price: $$
Pros: Trusted brand, great arch, and heel support, rubber outsole, and made for a long run with plenty of width options.
| Men’s 990 V5 | Men’s 1540 V3 | Women’s Fresh Foam More v2 |
6. HOKA
HOKA are legendary for their outsoles and footbeds. Their outsoles are made from a unique polyurethane formula that provides exceptional shock absorption and superior energy return to protect your feet legs and back during long hours of standing. Just as important, Hoka comes with removable insoles to allow you to customize the shoes with your own orthotics for extra plantar fasciitis support.
Many people with plantar fasciitis pain have found great comfort and pain relief and for their impressive arch support. Its contoured outsole and footbed provide excellent arch support that lasts beyond your 12-hour shift. In addition, its polyurethane outsole is slip-resistant, non-marking, and offers superior shock absorption and energy return.
Price: $$$
Pros: Focus on outsoles and footbeds, made with polyurethane. Exceptional shock absorption. Removable insoles for customization.
7. Brooks
Brooks strives to deliver the best running experience through biomechanical research, cushioned midsoles, and durable midsoles.
The Brooks Adrenaline, Beast, and Ariel offer a secure, comfortable fit as well as excellent stability. Both the Brooks Adrenaline and Beast are built with Brook’s DNA Midsole, an innovative cushioning system that adapts to runners of all sizes and speeds, providing a custom ride.
Price: $$
Pros: Biomechanically developed, cushioned, and durable midsoles. Secure and comfortable fit.
| Men’s Adrenaline GTS 21 | Men’s Beast | Women’s Ariel |
8. ECCO
ECCO offers top-notch innovation by continually inventing and engineering new materials that provide durable construction, shock absorption, natural support, and superior comfort. ECCO is a top pick for our customers with plantar fasciitis. ECCO’s Yucatan is a lightweight and versatile sandal that provides optimum comfort.
A lightweight sandal alleviates the heaviness and strains from walking, which helps to minimize foot pain and ease plantar fasciitis. Although lightweight, the Yucatan sole has been created to ensure increased support and wearability. The built-in arch support and lightweight design making this a great option for those struggling with plantar fasciitis foot pain. The three-strap design keeps the Yucatan secure on your foot so whether you are walking around town or trekking through the woods, you will stay supported on all your adventures.
