Good shoes for sore feet

I don’t know if it’s FMS-related or not, but for the past few years I’ve suffered periodically with plantar fasciitis.  If you aren’t sure what that is, it’s a searing pain you get in the bottom of your foot, (usually the heel), and often when you first get out of bed in the morning.  It’s easy to treat but slow to heal, and can be a real bummer.  Who wants to exercise when every step makes your foot feel like it’s on fire?!

Luckily, Flippy found some great shoes for people with back problems, Earth Shoes.  People who owned the shoes seemed to love them, and many mentioned they were effective in treating plantar fasciitis.  So, Flippy and I both ordered a pair of athletic shoes from Zappos, as those are the type of shoes we wear 99% of the time when we leave the house.

At first, the shoes were a tad uncomfortable.  They had a very strong arch, and it felt odd to have so much support after going barefoot or wearing flip-flops all the time.  They also have a “negative heel”, meaning that the heel of the shoe is lower than the toe.  Until you get used to the sensation, it feels like you’re tipping backwards slightly.  After a few wearings, however, we definitely noticed an improvement in how we feel when we’ve got them on.  For Flippy, putting on the shoes gives her relief from back pain, so they must help improve posture.  For me, the padded sole plus the strong arch support seem to help keep the plantar fasciitis in check.  Best of all, the slight incline of the shoe means that you get a bit of extra exercise when you walk, and I think our legs appreciate the difference.

I’m about to go order myself a second pair of shoes, this time a “casual shoe” for wearing with jeans:  Heritage 3.  They aren’t the most beautiful shoe, but I’m so used to wearing tennis shoes all the time because my feet hurt that I think anything other than white leather will look like I’m dressing up!  I hope these ones will be as comfortable as the athletic shoes.

Posted by on 08/06 at 08:51 PM

  1. I was thinking about Earth shoes for my plantar fasciitis.  Everything I’ve read or been told is to look for support and some heel to the shoe.  So did the Earth shoes really did help lessen the pain due to the condition?

    Posted by Towyeong  on  10/29  at  05:17 PM

  2. I can honestly say I have not had any pain from plantar fasciitis in at least a year, but I can’t say for certain whether it was my wearing of Earth Shoes, of Crocs, or something else which helped.  Maybe it was a combination of things.  The Earth cross-trainers are a really comfortable shoe, but the Heritage 3 shoes are a lot stiffer and not nearly as cozy.  So, if you have foot pain, you might want to stick to the Earth athletic shoes rather than the more “dressy” shoes. 

    I can also recommend Crocs as very comfortable, although their appearance doesn’t appeal to everyone.  I attended a two-day long convention last month and wore Crocs for one day, and Earth Shoes for the second day, and my feet felt good on both days.

    One trick I’ve found that seems great for plantar fasciitis is simple stretching.  Before I get out of bed I spend a minute or so stretching both feet by pointing my toes up towards the ceiling, and/or pulling my toes upward so that I feel the muscles on the bottom of my foot stretch.  Keeping those muscles stretched before you hit the floor can go a long way to resolving pain.

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  10/29  at  09:23 PM
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