Plantar Fasciitis and The Best Insoles for Treatment

Plantar Fasciitis is the one of the most common foot conditions that many people experience throughout their lives. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia tendon, the flat band of tissue that runs lengthwise on the bottom of your foot and is what connects your toes to your heel bone. Many describe plantar fasciitis as a sharp pain that they feel in their feet, especially around the heel, which is often most prominent when they first get out of bed in the morning and which often worsens after spending time on their feet. Plantar fasciitis is often a debilitating condition that makes individuals want to stay off their feet as much as possible to avoid suffering from any more foot pain than they already have.

While the bad news is that plantar fasciitis is a severely uncomfortable foot condition that many people are likely to experience, the good news is that it can often be prevented or cured with the use of insoles for plantar fasciitis.

What causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is caused by repeated strain and injury to the plantar fascia tendon. This damage usually doesn’t occur as the result of a single action, but rather as the result of stress on the foot, tendons, and ligaments over time. When the foot is not properly supported, even activities as simple as walking to and from the car can put strain on the foot that have the potential to cause small tears to the tendons of the foot. More intensive activities such as running, jumping, or standing for long periods of time all increase the stress on the foot, making plantar fasciitis more likely – and quicker – to occur.

In addition to everyday strain, other common factors for developing plantar fasciitis include:

• Age
• Weight
• Activity level
• Activity frequency
• Over-pronation or supination
• Frequency of time spent on your feet
• Length of time spent on your feet
• How you care for your feet
• Whether or not you wear supportive footwear
• Other pre-existing foot conditions

Each of these factors contributes directly to the amount of strain you place on your feet on a day-to-day basis, thereby also contributing directly to your risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

How do I prevent and treat Plantar Fasciitis?

To prevent plantar fasciitis, you need to keep your foot supported whenever you’re on your feet. You also need to continue to care for your feet even when not walking or standing.

To do this, you need footwear that provides an arch support. While an arch support does prevent the arch of the foot from collapsing and the foot from rolling, an arch support most importantly distributes weight and pressure evenly across the foot. This takes much of the strain and pressure off the plantar fascia tendon, preventing much of the damage to the tendon that could result in plantar fasciitis.

If you already have plantar fasciitis, an arch support will help prevent further damage to the plantar fascia tendon, allowing the tendon to begin healing. As the tendon heals, pain from plantar fasciitis will decrease. Continue wearing an arch support to prevent flare-ups or recurring instances of plantar fasciitis.

What makes an insole good for Plantar Fasciitis?

There are two specific things that you will need when you are looking for an insole to help prevent and relieve pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis: a deep heel cup and orthotic arch support. A deep heel cup will help to cradle your heel as well as provide additional cushioning and impact shock absorption, alleviating shock on the foot and also helping to stabilize your foot. A proper orthotic arch support will also keep your arches of your feet properly supported, distributing pressure evenly across the entire foot and helping to relieve stress and strain.

Best Insoles for Plantar Fasciitis

Based on the above criteria – proper orthotic arch support and a deep heel cup – we’ve put together our list of the top 3 insoles for plantar fasciitis prevention and treatment:

Spenco Total Support Original Insoles – The Spenco Total Support Original Insoles are a full-length, semi-rigid orthotic arch support insole that are ideal for all arch types. They feature an arch support, deep heel cup, and Spenco’s exclusive 3-Pod Cushioning System that helps to absorb impact shock. With forefoot padding, these insoles will also provide additional cushioning under the ball of foot, while their metatarsal pad will also help keep your forefoot in its natural position helping to relieve pressure and distribute weight evenly across the foot.

 

 

 

 

Powerstep Pinnacle Orthotic Insoles – The Powerstep Pinnacle Orthotic Insoles are a full-length, semi-rigid orthotic arch support insole that are for all arch types. They feature a double layer of shock absorbing foam cushioning for enhanced comfort. Their contoured stabilizing heel cradle will not only provide additional foot support but also provide increased stability for your foot.

 

 

 

 

Sole Active Medium Footbeds – The Sole Active Medium Footbeds are a full-length, semi-rigid orthotic arch support insole that are for all arch types. All SOLE Footbeds are both wear-moldable and heat-moldable for a custom fit for your foot shape. The Active Medium Footbeds are designed with 1.6 mm of Softec cushioning, Sole’s proprietary cushioning material. Their triple-layer design will provide long lasting cushioning and shock absorption.

 

 

 

 

Even though Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot conditions, it doesn’t have to hurt! With the proper support and cushioning, you can help treat and prevent this painful foot condition. Visit our Plantar Fasciitis page for more information and treatment options!