“Wearing a shoe with proper arch support is extremely important in reducing the pull of the plantar fascia muscle to its heel attachment,” Sidney Weiser, DPM, Founder of Quality Podiatry Group, told Verywell Health.
But good arch support isn’t the only thing to keep in mind when choosing a sneaker for plantar fasciitis, our experts emphasize. It’s also important to consider the fit and structure of your sneaker, as well as choose the right type of sneaker for the kind of activity you’ll be doing (i.e. running versus walking).
We researched more than two dozen popular sneakers with arch support to see which ones offer the most comfort to the plantar fascia while you’re running, walking, training, or just going about your busy day.
We also like that the Arahi 6 can be used for nearly any kind of physical activity, whether that’s running, walking, training, or even working on your feet all day. It comes in a range of both men’s and women’s sizes, slipping on with ease, and has the perfect balance of comfy yet responsive cushioning to protect your feet on impact. It has a firm midsole, so it won’t bend or collapse under your weight, and it’s even received The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance as a shoe that promotes good foot health. It’s basically a go anywhere and do anything sneaker—and it works for just about everyone.
Price at time of publication: $140
As far as specs, the Gel-Venture shoe focuses on heel and midsole support; the heel keeps your foot in place while boosting your shock absorption, and the midsole conforms to your foot without being overly flexible. We also love that the sneaker features an ortholite sockliner, which not only molds to your foot for max cushioning but also wicks away moisture for a more comfortable workout experience.
Price at time of publication: $40
The only downside of these is that they were made with women’s feet in mind, so it may not be as simple as finding your size equivalent if you’re a man looking for supportive walking shoes (though Ryka does make other walking shoe styles for men).
Price at time of publication: $54
Also worth noting about the Fresh Foam is that they’re designed to hug your feet; in other words, you might not even remember you’re wearing arch support-sneakers when you slip them on. The back of the shoe is meant to slide right over your heel and stay in place, while the rest of the shoe is a breathable, form-fitting design that should—with the right sizing—fit and feel like a glove.
Price at time of publication: $160
The upper part of the shoe is also uniquely designed to mold to your foot, giving you maximum stability that’s customized to your own foot shape and size. It’s lightweight, shock absorbing, and supportive—a trifecta of plantar fasciitis-friendly features built for training.
Price at time of publication: $100
With a diagonal roll bar built into the structure of the shoe, the Brooks Addiction walkers help maintain stability while preserving your natural stride; in other words, they’ll keep your foot from rolling in and out, but they’re still super flexible, not stiff. (No sore, aching feet here.) The sneakers are perfect for walking or running in all situations: they’re slip resistant, plus their cushioning is adaptive to your weight and reduces stress on your joints. And, of course, they’re easy to put on and securely fit to your feet thanks to the double velcro straps.
Price at time of publication: $130
While that alone makes these shoes worthy of a spot on this list, we can’t help but mention some of the Orthofoot Coral’s other notable features, like a heel plug for extra heel pain relief, a roomy toe box, a stretchy upper that hugs your feet, and antimicrobial fabric to beat back stinky sweat odors during your workouts.
Price at time of publication: $105
They don’t skimp on the comfort, offering three zones of support along the entire length of your foot (the heel, midsole, and toe) so your arches get all the cushioning they need. But they also don’t skimp on style: the low profile of these lace-free shoes is on trend and they come in 40 bright, playful colors and patterns.
Price at time of publication: $42
While the men’s shoe options are a bit limited in terms of colors in the wide sizes, the same can’t be said for the women’s shoes—you can choose along a spectrum of black, gray, blue, purple, and pink.
Price at time of publication: $160
We searched for popular sneakers designed with arch support and extra stability, meant to make your active life easier—from running to walking to training to working an on-your-feet job, these sneakers can keep up and keep you comfortable.
What to Look for in Sneakers for Plantar Fasciitis
Fit
When it comes to finding the right fit for your sneakers, think like Goldilocks: not too big, not too small. Too-large shoes won’t give you the stability you need, worsening your plantar fasciitis and increasing your risk of sports injury, but too-tight isn’t the way to go, either.
“It is very important not to squeeze your foot into a sneaker, as tightness can cause friction that will lead to soreness and possible injury as well, with the formation of blisters and skin abrasions,” said Weiser
If you’re not sure how to get the right fit, consider opting for a professional sizing appointment at a local retailer—or even measuring yourself for shoes at home with an online sizing tool. According to Patrick McEneaney, DPM, CEO of Northern Illinois Foot & Ankle Specialists, you want about a half a thumbnail to a full thumbnail of toe space from the very tip of the shoe to your longest toe.
Structure
You do want a sneaker that moves with your foot, accommodating your natural stride, but you still need to look for firm support; if your foot moves around too much inside your shoe, you run the risk of worsening your symptoms.
“If there’s movement inside of the footwear, [you’ll be] gripping your toes to try to keep your foot stable,” McEneaney said. “We don’t want your foot to work as hard inside of the shoe, because once it starts working harder, all of your tendons, your ligament structure, and the musculature starts tightening.”
This tensed-up, contracted formation of your foot—especially while working out—is only going to make your plantar fasciitis worse. To avoid it, make sure to choose a shoe that doesn’t bend too much in the midfoot, McEneaney advised—a shoe that bends too much doesn’t have firm enough arch support.
Daily activity
Both of our experts stress the importance of thinking about the type of activity you’ll be doing and considering whether your sneaker can accommodate it. For example, said Weiser, playing basketball requires high top sneakers, while playing tennis requires sneakers that can support you during the side-to-side motion of the game.
Furthermore, said McEneaney, you should think about how your feet behave during physical activity (like if they pronate, i.e. roll in, or supinate, i.e. roll out) as well as how many hours a day you spend on your feet and the type of work you do.
“The kind of work people are doing guides the recommendation of footwear that I’m putting patients in,” McEneaney said.
Cost
Let’s get one thing clear: you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of sneakers in order to get the right support, but you should make sure your shoes are made with long-lasting, high-quality materials.
“It’s not about the expense of the footwear, [but] you are going to wear [a cheaper] shoe out that much quicker, and then will just need to go and buy a new pair of shoes,” said McEneaney. “It’s in your best interest to buy a good shoe up front instead of cheap shoes that won’t offer you the support you need and will just wear out faster.”
This is especially important for people with plantar fasciitis, he added, who might lose features that provide necessary structure and support for their condition when opting for cheaper “budget” sneakers.
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You should also avoid sneakers with insoles that can’t be removed or sneakers that run too tight, since this will limit your ability to customize your shoe to your needs.
“The insole of the sneaker should be removed in order to accommodate a custom-made device that provides arch support,” said Weiser, “[and] the sneaker should be wide and deep [because those devices] take up space in your sneaker.”
