The most common cause of foot pain, particularly heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a ligament that runs from your heel to your toes. When this ligament gets inflamed or irritated, pain results. Roughly 2 million people are treated for this condition each year.
Plantar Fasciitis
Most of the time plantar fasciitis occurs with no known cause. There are a few known contributing factors. Obesity, tight calf muscles that prevent you from flexing your foot, high arches, and repetitive impact from running and walking are some of these factors. The most common symptoms are foot pain first thing in the morning and pain towards the heel. Treatment includes rest, ice, exercises, and physical therapy. The exercises involve stretching the plantar fascia. The physical therapy aims to relax the plantar fascia and allow it to heal. Supportive shoes can also help.
Best Shoes
The best shoes for plantar fasciitis are those that support the arch of the foot. This type of shoe can actually cure the problem. Shoes with supportive cushioning and extra support of the heel will help. Sneakers and boots most often have the required support. You can not always wear sneakers or boots, though. Look for shoes with a cushioned insole and a slightly elevated heel. Corrective insoles can help in shoes you already own.
New Balance
For athletic shoes, New Balance is the top company that specializes in high arch support. It even has a shoe specific for Plantar Fasciitis: the New Balance Motion Control Shoe. The WR1012 Nbx Motion Control Running Shoe for women has extra cushioning, as well as support. The New Balance Women's WR1011 Motion Control Running Shoe is another option, and the New Balance MR1012 Nbx Motion Control Running Shoe is an option for men. Other recommendations are the MR993 men's running shoe, MW977 men's hiking or walking shoe and MW811 men's walking shoe. For women, the WR1123 running shoe and the WW749 outdoor shoe for walking are recommended.
The New Balance website has a variety of choices of running and walking shoes in the motion control category for both men and women. They come in a range of colors and prices. The Aravon Brand is a branch of New Balance focusing on casual and dressy shoes for women, including boots, sandals and flip flops. The Dunham brand is another branch of New Balance of casual and dressy shoes for men. These include oxfords, slip-ons, nautical styles, mules, and mid-cut boots. The Dunham brand also includes men's work boots, from steel-toed to insulated and waterproof.
Where to Buy
At Foot Smart.com you can search for shoes based on your condition. For plantar fasciitis, 173 shoes were found ranging from boots to dress shoes to sandals to flip flops, to athletic shoes. There are a large number of brands from New Balance to Drew to Orthaheel to FitFlops to Asics to Ecco and Propet, as well as many others. Prices cover a wide range. They have shoes for every occasion for those suffering from plantar fasciitis. Other places to get these shoes are Amazon.com, Shoes.com, and New Balance.com. Your feet don't have to hurt any more.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Plantar Fasciitis and Bone Spurs
- Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar Fasciitis Shoes
- Shop New Balance.com: Shop New Balance
- Best Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis.com: New Balance Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Recommendations
- FootSmart.com: Plantar Fasciitis Shoes
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