Editor’s Note: This post has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects an up-to-date selection of the best women walking shoes for plantar fasciitis.
Have you been looking for a good pair of walking shoes for plantar fasciitis? Did you know that the shoes that you wear play a key role in reducing or fully eliminating the pain caused by plantar fasciitis?
Over the years I became familiar with the best women walking shoes for plantar fasciitis.
I have noticed through the years that most women’s foot and leg problems are directly associated with the shoes that they wear and the way they fit, so if you are suffering from a foot condition, it all starts with wearing the correct type of shoes.
Plantar Fasciitis is a medical condition that is caused by the inflammation of the connective tissue of the foot known as the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia runs through the arch of the foot, connecting the heel and the toes. When it becomes inflamed, you start experiencing pain in your heels or your arches.
The most effective way to treat and cure plantar fasciitis is through wearing the appropriate type of shoes that provide the correct amount of support. Let me prove it to you!
Before and After Images of Women with High Arches Wearing Supportive Shoes
Before Image
Do you notice how the woman with high arches in the image below is putting extra pressure on the outer part of her feet?
After Image
Now take look at how much straighter her feet look after I fitted this same woman in a pair of supportive shoes with ankle support. Do you notice how the woman’s feet are a lot straighter?
Back to treating your plantar fasciitis…
Some shoe companies make footwear that is specifically targeted to help this condition and the three most popular ones are New Balance, Asics, and Orthofeet.
If you have been suffering from foot pain, I will show you a selection of the best women walking shoes for Plantar Fasciitis.
The Best Way to Treat and Prevent Plantar Fasciitis – Supportive Shoes!
The most effective and proven method to treat plantar fasciitis is to wear the correct type of shoes. There are exercises that you can do at home and also apply an ice pack in the affected area, but always starts by wearing the correct type of shoes.
A pair of good, supportive shoes will help cushion and protect your heels, minimizing the impact that it takes every time it comes in contact with the ground, and reducing or fully eliminating the pain you were experiencing.
Some of the shoes I recommend comes with an ENCAP® midsole technology that provides support and maximum durability. The shoes also come with extra support around the ankle area (this is a key feature that will reduce your ankle pain).
The right type of shoes will also keep your feet healthy and will enable you to keep up with your daily routine without having any foot issues.
While I will provide you with a selection of the best shoes for women with plantar fasciitis, I encourage you to get familiar with this condition. Moreover, if you have never experienced this condition, please keep in mind that it most likely feels like a stabbing pain in your feet.
Any doctor, physical or occupational therapist will tell you that choosing the right type of shoes is critical if you suffer from plantar fasciitis.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Plantar Fasciitis?
☑️ Targeted Ankle Support: The most important feature that the shoe has to provide to prevent and treat plantar fasciitis is ankle support. Certain shoes come with a reinforced heel counter and some of them even have infused gel to provide more support. Let me show you a picture so you can better visualize what I am talking about:
Always make sure that your shoes provide a firm heel counter, which is the part of the shoe that provides ankle support and minimizes the impact that your heels take every time they come in contact with the ground. Let me show you where the heel counter of the shoe is located:
The heel counter of the shoes can be firm or soft. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis then you need to find shoes that come with a firm heel counter. You can check this by squeezing the heel counter of the shoes and checking if it feels firm or not. Take a look at the picture below for clarification:
☑️ Substantial Outsole: The shoes must also come with a supportive, substantial sole to support and protect your feet.
☑️ Extra Depth: This feature will allow your feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevent you from getting the impression that your feet are coming out of the shoes. Deep shoes are also very important because they allow us to fit an orthotic inside the shoes.
Let me show you the difference between a pair of deep shoes and one that is not. There is an orthotic fitted in both of the shoes below, do you notice how in the New Balance shoe style (grey and pink) the orthotic is sitting much deeper than in the Asics shoe style (black)?
In the picture below you will be able to see it more clearly:
Before I show you a selection of the best walking shoes for women with plantar fasciitis, I want to make sure that you know your exact foot shape and size. Do you know whether you have narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know if you have a high instep or not?
If you must get your shoes online, start by reading an article where I describe the most effective and simple way to figure out your foot size from home:
How to Measure your Foot Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Wearing the proper shoes can make the world of difference when it comes to preventing and healing your plantar fasciitis condition.
The Best Walking Shoes for Women with Plantar Fasciitis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have put together a selection of the best women walking shoes for Plantar Fasciitis, and these shoes are available in narrow (N), medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW) widths. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodate high insteps
- An ENCAP midsole combines lightweight foam with a durable polyurethane rim to deliver all-day support
- Dual-density collar foam that offers support and comfort for your heels and ankles
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Cushioning outsole with a mild rocker adds spring to your step.
- Multiple cushioning layers provide pillow-like support that works wonders to enhance comfort and help ease pain on the foot and heel
- Soft, stretchable knit fabric uppers with extra foam padding ease pressure on the foot and provide superior comfort and protection for sensitive feet.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Engineered mesh upper improves breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Durable full-length EVA midsole to absorb shock and offer stability
- Breathable open engineered textile mesh upper with seamless synthetic overlays
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet and also accommodates high insteps
- VERSARUN cushioning absorbs impact and reduces pressure for comfortable strides at every level of walking and running
- Added heel support for a more comfortable, secure hold.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- DNA LOFT offers incredibly soft cushioning that now extends beyond the heel, allowing for an easy transition from landing to toe-off.
- Removable foam insole for excellent underfoot comfort and support.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow, medium, and wide feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- CMEVA (Compression Molded EVA) midsole delivers lightweight, durable, responsive cushioning
- Strategic high-abrasion rubber zones to reduce weight
- Soft, stretchable knit fabric uppers with extra foam padding ease pressure on the foot and provide superior comfort and protection for sensitive feet
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
What Shoe Size Should You Order?
Take a look at the description below the shoes that I recommended to find out what shoe size you should order.
I am always emphasizing to women that it doesn’t matter how many features the shoes provide, if you don’t wear the correct size you will end up creating all sorts of issues to your feet, such as blisters, calluses, and corns.
You need to make sure that the shoes are not too wide around your heels, or you won’t get the ankle support that you need to treat plantar fasciitis. For example, take a look at a picture of a shoe that is too wide around the ankles:
Keep in mind that sometimes wearing the correct pair of shoes won’t be enough to treat plantar fasciitis, and in those cases, I recommend trying an orthotic inside the shoes for extra support.
Orthotics have proven to be extremely effective in reducing foot and leg pain, but it all starts with trying a pair of good, supportive shoes.
Do you happen to have a child that is suffering from plantar fasciitis? I wrote an article where I describe the best kids’ shoes for Plantar Fasciitis. Please click on the link below:
The Best New Balance Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis – Keep Your Kids’ Feet And Legs Healthy!
Now you can start taking care of your feet and prevent plantar fasciitis as well as treat it if the condition is already present.
Have you found a particular shoe style that has worked well in reducing your heel pain? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
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