Trying to find the best shoes for plantar fasciitis can be a tricky affair especially if you're like me and a keen athlete.
I've suffered with the problem for years and I spend most of time running and playing soccer so looking after my feet is incredibly important to me.
What I've found is that you should look for support specific to the type of sport you're competing or taking part in.
I'm sure most people are aware that one of the main causes of plantar fasciitis is from wearing ill fitting shoes.
Add in to this the fact that you are putting extra strain on your feet from being extremely active its all the more important that you have shoes that fit you and support the areas which need it.
For example if you are a golfer you'll have to look at getting shoes that support the heel area of your foot.
Golfing involves a lot of twisting and turning and not to mention the amount of walking so ensure you buy shoes which are well protected in the heel area.
Runners like myself require much more cushioning on the shoe.
If you think about the way you foot is slamming down hard against either the treadmill or road then you begin to understand the stress that you're putting on your feet.
Well cushioned shoes will reduce this stress greatly and will undoubtedly help your plantar fasciitis condition.
For basketball shoes for plantar fasciitis again you have to appreciate the hard surface that your feet have to contend with.
The heel area is especially important in this case because of the impact of jumping and running.
This will also help to reduce the strain on your knees.
Basketball players are generally quite lucky if they suffer from plantar fasciitis as many of the shoes or sneakers on offer are well padded because of the hard surfaces generally played on.
One thing that I know many people suffer from is finding good dress shoes for plantar fasciitis.
Most of the shoes on offer to help the condition can be quite plain or even ugly! Not something you want to go to the ball in.
In this case I have almost always cheater and used shoe inserts which have allowed me to wear the type of shoe I want but still have a little cushioning.
It really is the sneaky way to wear what you want.
It doesn't provide the same type of comfort as wearing specific shoes does but if its only for a short period of time it may just be enough to get you through your night.
Plantar fasciitis shoes can be found and if you can't find ones to suit, you can always cheat and use shoe inserts!