Insoles & Inserts For Plantar Fasciitis: 10 Reasons Why You Should Consider Getting A Pair

To reduce heel pain and plantar fasciitis, insoles or shoe inserts are a good choice.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the reasons why insoles or shoe inserts for plantar fasciitis can be helpful. We will cover the following topics:

• The importance of insoles and inserts in reducing foot pain
• What types of insoles and shoe inserts there are on the market today?
• A list of 10 benefits that insoles provide for people with plantar fasciitis and heel pain.
• And finally, the best insoles & insets for plantar fasciitis to buy

How Insoles & Inserts Help With Foot Pain

Insoles are specially designed to reduce foot pain by distributing weight evenly across the entire foot. Insoles also provide shock absorption, which is beneficial if you have flat feet or high arches. Additionally, insoles and inserts can help with the proper alignment of the spine and pelvis. This is especially important if you are experiencing heel pain.

What Is The Difference Between Insoles & Inserts?

Though insoles and inserts generally have a similar goal – cushioning your feet and providing pain relief- they’re somewhat different. Let me explain.

Insoles are basically a part of your shoes. They’re located at the bottom of the inside and lie under your foot. This makes them the direct contact point between your body and your shoes. Insoles are usually removable and replaceable but in certain cases, they can be attached to the shoe.

Most shoes come with removable insoles that you can replace. Replacement insoles provide much better cushioning and arch support than the insoles that are already in your shoes.

Insoles are very popular among people with plantar fasciitis and heel pain because insoles reduce the impact on your joints when you walk. This helps to decrease the number of steps that might cause more damage to your feet.

Insoles are available in all kinds of colors, cushion types and for different purposes. We’ll cover this later on in this article, so please stay tuned.

Shoe inserts is more a general term. Inserts are products that you can put in your shoes to address a certain concern or medical condition. This includes insoles. So yes, insoles are a type of shoe insert.

Inserts come in many different forms. There are full insoles, heel cups, heel seats, foot pads, gel pads, foam inserts, cushion pads or liners. Some only have the purpose to improve the fit of your shoes, while others can have a significant impact on your foot conditions and even your overall health.

When inserts or insoles address medical problems, such as plantar fasciitis, heel spur or flat feet, they are often called orthotics. The traditional term “orthotics” was introduced for custom-made, medical prescription medical devices. But this has changed a bit and you can get really good orthotics over the counter or from online sellers, such as Baron Active.

Which insoles and inserts help with plantar fasciitis?

Do insoles or inserts really help with plantar fasciitis? The short answer is: YES!

But finding the right type can be a challenge and what works for one might not work for the other. And because you can’t test all the insoles and inserts on the market yourself, we did this for you. Later on you’ll find a list of the best working insoles and shoe inserts for plantar fasciitis. This section gives you a bird’s eye view on what types are available.

Gel Insoles. Insoles that have gel heel cushions or are completely made of gel layers absorb shocks incredibly well. They are very comfortable and you can use them with any sort of shoe and any activity. Some products correct high arches or flat feet or painful foot conditions like plantar fasciiitis.

Memory Foam Insoles. Orthopedic insoles made of memory foam layers provide support and comfort but are less insulating than gel insoles. Memory foam reduces the pressure on your feet when you stand or walk for long hours and absorb heel shocks. Memory foam insoles are proven to work by runners, athletes, construction workers and just ordinary people. They can ease arch pain, relieve heel pain, take pressure from the plantar fascia and reduce pressure caused by spurs, corns, bunions and neuroma.

Heel Cups. Heel cups are available in different shapes and made from either gel or silicone. Heel cups fit almost into any sort of shoe and they’re good insulating shock absorbers. They only target your heels, of course, so they’re just a partial cover for your feet. The most known heel cups brands are Spenco and Sof Sole, but there are a lot of other insoles that work just as fine.

Heel Seats. Heel Seats are either made of gel or rubber to absorb shocks and pressure from the heels. Heel seats cover more of the foot than just the heel, but less than an insole does. They’re the perfect hybrid model and well worth your hard earned money if you want a working solution to plantar fasciitis.

Arch Supports. Naturally, our feet are not made for walking on flat, hard surfaces like concrete. And most footwear doesn’t support your arches well enough. Arch supports change that by distributing the pressure on your foot evenly and providing necessary support for your arches to lessen or prevent pain.

Sport Orthotics. These inserts are made for active people. Usually, they’re made of antibacterial foam that absorbs shock while running, jumping or walking. The built-in arch supports help if you need to correct abnormal walking patterns or deal with knee pain, flat feet or Achilles tendinitis. But they wouldn’t be sports insoles if they’re weren’t made of extra lightweight materials.

3/4 Length Insoles. These three-quarter length inserts are a hybrid of heel seats and full insoles. These fit into any sort of shoe and leave a little more room in the toe box of your shoes. If you like to wear shoes with a tight toe box, these are your options to relieve your plantar fascia pain.

10 Benefits Of Insoles & Inserts For Plantar Fasciitis

I know you’ve been waiting for this list. But I first wanted to give you a complete overview of which insoles exist and what are suited for plantar fasciitis. So here are the 10 reasons why you should invest in inserts or insoles:

1. A new level of comfort. Insoles and inserts provide so much more comfort than the built-in insoles that came with your shoes. The difference is really like day and night. If you want to wear your shoes comfortably throughout the whole day, you should definitely invest in good inserts.
2. Better shock absorption equals fewer injuries. If insoles are providing all day comfort, they’ll surely provide some degree of shock absorption. They’ll reduce or prevent heel pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, neuroma and other foot conditions caused by shock vibrations every time you step on the ground.
3. No more blisters and skin irritation. Skin irritation caused by insoles and footwear is a thing of the past. Every insoles and insert for plantar fasciitis we’ve seen so far don’t fall into this category. If you’re still dealing with blisters, calluses or redness on your feet– I’m sure insoles can fix that sooner rather than later.
4. Instant pain relief. If insoles are made of shock-absorbing materials– they’re probably going to provide pain relief instantaneously. As soon as you put them into your shoes, feet and plantar fascia will start breathing a sigh of relief because the insoles take the pressure off and insulate against shocks.
5. No more calluses or corns. A lot of insoles include some sort of padding that insulates against shocks and provides extra comfort. They also help you avoid corns, calluses or blisters on your feet because insoles distribute pressure evenly across your feet.
6. Keep running, dancing or jumping. Plantar fasciitis is a stop sign for most activities. If you have insoles, you don’t have to stop a single thing. Just keep going to your dancing class, don’t miss a run or basketball game.
7. Better sleep and quicker recovery. Naturally, insoles help you relax much sooner and quicker. Your body can work on your recovery way sooner that way because the inserts already did half of the work for you. Less pain and less stress eventually mean that your body can relax quicker. That leads to better sleep and more energy for the next day.
8. Better posture. Whether insoles are made of lightweight materials or not– they provide a very stable base for your feet to stand on while preventing painful foot conditions. They also prevent injuries and improve your overall posture. And insoles have the added benefit that you can adjust them to get even more stability out of them.
9. Prevention. Insoles help reduce the risk of foot conditions occurring or re-occurring. If you only have symptoms of plantar fasciitis but are not yet fully affected, you should get yourself some inserts as fast as you can. And after you finally get rid of plantar fasciitis, it is necessary to cushion your soles and heels to prevent the condition to strike you again.
10. Better performance and results. Less pain, faster recovery, better sleep and more comfort definitely leads to better athletic performance. You can focus more on your training and don’t need to think about your feet that much. You should actually go for insoles when preparing for races or competitions because you can be sure that insoles won’t let you down.

Insoles and inserts for plantar fasciitis provide so many benefits that we cannot possibly list them all here. But we can tell you this: insoles and inserts for plantar fasciitis will help you reduce your pain, prevent further pain from occurring and improve your daily life without sacrificing the activities that make you happy.

The Top 7 Insoles & Inserts For Plantar Fasciitis Tested

Personal preference plays a big role and the most important factor is how your insoles feel to you. Insoles and inserts are not the only options you can treat plantar fasciitis with. They’re one piece of the puzzle – though an important one. Wearing compression socks or compression sleeves will help your feet relax when you’re not wearing shoes and wearing a night splint can do wonders for your feet too. But this article is completely about insoles and inserts. So here are the top 7 insoles and inserts that you should consider:

1.  Best Overall Plantar Fasciitis Insoles: WALK·HERO COMFORT AND SUPPORT