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 shoes for women with heel pain.
Have you found yourself experiencing heel pain? Moreover, have you ever been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis? Pay close attention if you are suddenly limping or walking on your toes, because those might be signs that you have plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.
Did you know that shoes that don’t provide the correct amount of heel support are one of the most common causes why women experience heel pain?
I was motivated to create this article since I have been contacted by a great number of women who were experiencing ankle or heel pain and they didn’t know what to do about this pain.
There are certain shoes that provide a firm heel counter and a substantial outsole that provides shock absorption that will help reduce or fully eliminate your heel pain.
Women most of the times have hectic routines and find themselves jogging, running or walking quite often on a daily basis. This high impact movements, without a treatment, may lead to a long-lasting heel pain, even for years!
When women come to the shoe store experiencing heel pain, my first step is to check the shoes that they are currently wearing and press on the heel counter of the shoes.
Wearing the correct type of shoes is one of the most effective ways to prevent heel pain, and I am here to provide you with a selection of shoes that will greatly reduce, or fully eliminate your heel pain.
Most physical and occupational therapists also agree that plantar fasciitis may also occur when a woman that is very active wears unsupportive shoes with a soft heel counter, and that also have poor shock absorbency or minimal arch support.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Women with Heel Pain?
The shoes I recommend provide 2 key features that makes the ideal for women with plantar fasciitis:
✅ Targeted Heel Support: The shoes I recommend provide targeted cushion and support right below your heels which will help reduce the impact that your heels take when they come in contact with the ground.
✅ Firm Heel Counter: The shoes I recommend provide a firm heel counter that will also help cushion and support your heels. Always press on this area of the shoe to make sure it feels firm:
The main goal is to find shoes that will reduce the impact of heel strike by up to 50%.
The Main Reasons Why You Might Be Experiencing Heel Pain
When women experience ankle or heel pain, it’s mostly because they are not wearing the correct pair of shoes, but it could also be due to having flat feet or rolled ankles.
Plantar fasciitis does remain the most common cause of heel pain for women.
You might be wondering, what is the main cause for plantar fasciitis?
The cause is not entirely clear, but most physical and occupational therapists agree that it might be due to the repeated minor trauma that your feet take when they are involved in high-impact sports or activities such as long-distance running, jumping activities, ballet dancing and aerobic dance, just to name a few examples.
I have noticed that heel pain normally occurs when our feet are repeatedly putting pressure on hard surfaces. This added stress on your feet in these situations makes heel pain to worsen over time. I have also noticed how women who are overweight are more likely to experience heel pain.
This is the reason why I strongly recommend to always make sure that you are wearing good supportive shoes, in order to minimize the impact on the heels especially when running and jumping.
Before I provide you with a selection of the best shoes for women with heel pain, I want to make sure that you know your exact foot size. You won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know your exact foot length and whether you have narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. In addition, do you know whether you have a high instep or not?
I help women determine their exact foot size and shape from home. Take a look at the article below:
How To Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple And Effective Way!
Now that you know what features the shoes must provide and how to make sure you are wearing the correct shoe size, let’s take a look at a selection of the best shoes for women with heel pain. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Women with Heel Pain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 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.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
If you are looking for a different type of shoe to help treat your Plantar Fasciitis such as seasonal footwear or dress shoes don’t hesitate to contact me and I will help you find them: comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com
The shoes I recommended provide:
- Substantial Outsole: This feature helps minimize the impact that your feet take every time they come in contact with the ground.
- Firm Heel Counter: The shoes come with a firm heel counter in order to provide heel support and minimize the impact that your heels take every time they strike into the ground.
The shoes are also lightweight, flexible, and breathable.
There will be certain cases where the heel pain is very intense and the support from the shoes might not be enough to reduce the pain, in that case you will have to try an orthotic or a heel cup inside the shoes, for extra support.
I have fitted a heel cup that has proven to be extremely effective not just for adults with heel pain, but children as well. So, if you have already tried a pair of supportive shoes and the pain in your heel persists, I will recommend that you try a heel cup inside your shoes.
In order to prevent plantar fasciitis, we must fit the heel cup in a pair of shoes that come with a firm heel counter, provide good shock absorption in the heel and support in the outsole. The good news is that all of the shoes that I described for you provide all of these features.
Tuli’s Heel Cups: #1 Podiatrist Recommended Heel Cups!
This is the heel cup that offers superior shock absorption, protects the heel, and prevents foot fatigue. This is one of the most advanced shock absorbing heel cups available today.
This heel cup will also help reduce ankle pain by acting as shock absorbers for your feet! I have fitted this heel cup in several different women’s shoes, and in most cases the pain disappeared or was significantly reduced. Below you can find the best heel cup for women with heel pain that have fitted before:
- Ideal to treat and prevent general heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Sever’s disease, excessive pronation, Achilles tendonitis
- Innovative multi-cell, multi-layer waffle pattern design, helps to absorb impact pressure (shock) and return impact energy back to the feet
- The extra cushion this heel cup includes reduces and prevents sore heels and shin splints
Getting the Correct Heel Cup Size – Get It Right!
Small Size– Best for women with weight under 80 lbs.
Regular Size – Best for women with weight up to 175 lbs. Women’s shoe sizes 9 and under.
Large Size – Best for women with weight over 175 lbs. Women’s shoe sizes 10 and up.
Fitting Tuli’s Heel Cups in Your Sport Shoes!
If you are quite active and/or play any sports such as soccer, baseball, football, or basketball, you can fit this heel cup inside your sport shoes (as long as they are substantial and supportive), and you will minimize the impact that your feet take every time you are running around on the field.
Remember that when you are playing a particular sport your feet and legs are working extra hard and you are stressing them at a whole different level.
So, for example, if you like to play soccer, there is a particular soccer cleat that comes with a very firm heel counter, is deep, and it’s also available in wide widths.
You can learn about this wide soccer shoe style here:
Wide Soccer Cleats for Women – They Do EXIST!
Now that you know which are the best women shoes for heel pain you can keep your feet and legs healthy. You also know what are the best heel cups in case the shoes are not reducing, or fully eliminating your heel pain.
Before you leave, I wanted to let you know that if you have a child that is experiencing heel pain, I wrote an article where I describe the best shoes and heel cups for children with heel pain and you can find it here:
Sever’s Disease in Kids – STOP Your Kids’ Heel Pain!
Have you found a specific shoe or heel cup that has worked well in reducing or eliminating your heel pain? Let us know in the comment section below so other women can benefit from your experiences.
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