Plantar Fasciitis – What You Need To Know

If you can barely stand on your heels when you get up in the morning, you are not alone. Thousands of people in the United States alone suffer from a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Over 2 million people are afflicted worldwide, and many are not even aware of the reason. 

What is plantar fasciitis?

This is, in layman’s terms, inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot, more specifically the heel. If the inflammation is left untreated, heel spurs develop. These are easy to see on an X-ray – they are soft buildups of calcium.

How can you avoid getting plantar fasciitis?

You can avoid this discomfort by being careful about how you treat your feet. Take care not to walk on hard surfaces too much, and, of course – select your shoes and insoles carefully. Avoiding high heels is an obvious preventive method (for women, but men are affected by plantar fasciitis just as often), but not the only one. Flat shoes aren’t always going to help you because your feet aren’t flat. They might even do more harm than good.

Do you want to wake up, get up and be free of pain in the morning? This is absolutely possible. All you need to do is change your shoes and perform a number of simple foot training exercises.

What are the best shoes and insoles for plantar fasciitis?

Many shoe manufacturers have recognized the need for special shoes as this condition is becoming more and more widespread. Older people are more susceptible, but sometimes even children have it. No race or gender, social group, ethnicity, etc. is immune. No occupation is immune. Generally, people whose job involves more standing – shop assistants, for example – are more vulnerable to it.

Podiatrists recommend curved-sole sandals like the Rx Crocs Relief Sand. If you are into running, they recommend the Asics Gel Nimbus 18 with high arches (for men and women), and if you are flat-footed, the Asics Gel Kayana 22. Needless to say, you can use running shoes for walking and hiking as well. If you are not into sport and physical activity isn’t your thing, or it’s reducing to casual, moderate walking, then we suggest the Orthaheel Walkers.
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