Plantar fasciitis insoles are insoles that have three primary features:

• The insole has a built-in arch support, which supports the arch of the foot and helps to distribute pressure evenly across the entire foot.
• The insole has a deep heel cup, which enhances foot stability and provides proper foot support at the base of the plantar fascia tendon.
• The insole has good cushioning throughout the heel and arch in order to alleviate pressure on the foot and dissipate impact shocks from normal everyday activities.

Plantar fasciitis is the result of an irritated or inflamed plantar fascia tendon (which runs from the base of the heel through the arch of the foot). Repeated strain and stress on the plantar fascia tendon, even from normal everyday activities putting strain on the feet, can result in small tears throughout the tendon, causing this inflammation and foot discomfort. In most cases, allowing the body time to heal these small tears will alleviate the pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

But often, we can't be off of our feet for weeks on end to allow the body to heal without putting further strain on our feet. Plantar fasciitis insoles help mitigate the strain that everyday activities put on your feet by providing proper support for the foot, distributing pressure evenly across the foot so that no one part of the foot is under undue strain, and providing cushioning and shock absorption to help further reduce stress on the foot.

Plantar fasciitis insoles provide proper support for your foot in order to mitigate strain on the plantar fascia tendon. This will allow your foot to begin to heal without adding additional injury by providing proper foot support and mitigating any excessive strain and stress on your feet that would worsen plantar fasciitis.

Some people feel relief within 24 hours just by having proper support under their feet to help take strain off the inflamed plantar fascia tendon. For others, it may take days or weeks for their feet to return to feeling normal if the plantar fascia tendon is particularly damaged. Either way, ensuring that you have proper support for your feet and are mitigating any additional strain on your feet is always the first step in dealing with plantar fasciitis, and each day that goes by should lead to your feet feeling less and less painful.

All plantar fasciitis insoles share similar attributes: They all have a good arch support, they all provide a deel heel cup, and they all have a good amount of cushioning throughout the insole. Which specific insole you choose really depends on how much support your feet need:

If you've never worn an arch support insole before, or if you only suffer from mild to moderate plantar fasciitis, we recommend a semi-rigid arch support insole. This will provide good support for the foot while still allowing the arch of your foot to flex normally.

If your plantar fasciitis is particularly bad, or if you've worn arch support insoles before and need something with more support, we recommend a fully rigid arch support insole. This will provide the maximum amount of support for your foot to mitigate as much strain as possible.

Other features can also be considered, such as whether or not the insole has a built-in metatarsal pad, the material of the insole (foam, leather, gel, etc.), your foot's arch height, etc. The recommendations provided above typically work for most individuals, but if you'd like a personalized recommendation you can always contact us.

It's always a good idea to keep using your insoles even after the pain goes away. This is because the cause of plantar fasciitis is repeated, excess strain on the foot, often over a long period of time. While plantar fasciitis insoles do help with alleviating symptoms of plantar fasciitis by allowing the foot to heal and mitigating strain on the foot, you should ensure that your foot continues to have the support it needs to prevent plantar fasciitis from repeating.