Plantar fasciitis is a dull to severe pain in your heel caused by a strain and inflammation of your plantar fascia – a scientific name for foot tissue.
This particular tissue is a ligament attached at one side to the heel bone. On the other side, the tissue fans out to attach at the base of each of your five toes. Plantar fasciitis is the name for the condition that develops when the tissue becomes inflamed.
When the plantar fascia is excessively stretched, micro‑tears can occur, causing this swelling and subsequent pain as well as other foot problems like reduced stability or discomfort in your feet or ankles.
What does heel pain mean?
Heel pain can commonly be caused by one of two conditions: plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis. Most commonly, heel pain experienced at the bottom of the heel is caused by plantar fasciitis. Heel pain may become so severe for some that just putting weight on their feet first thing in the morning is excruciating. Walking or running may feel completely out of the question.
According to the experts at the Vionic Innovation Lab, if your foot pronates too much, the ankle rolls too far downward and inward with each step. This can cause the arch to collapse and muscles and supporting structures to over-stretch and lengthen. The ligaments running from the heel to the toes become strained, often leading to inflammation along the bottom of the foot. This is known as plantar fasciitis.
What causes heel pain?
Injury, disease and excess weight are among the possible culprits, but it’s probable that your heel pain has developed from poor biomechanics. Over-pronation can become even more excessive when you wear unsupportive shoes and walk on hard, unnatural surfaces.
Treatment for plantar fasciitis
For any medical condition, your first stop should always be your GP.
There are several ways in which you may be able to treat the pain caused by plantar fasciitis, including stretching your calves, using ice, specific exercises, medication and wearing supportive footwear. Discuss ways to treat your pain with your GP first, to determine the best course of action for you.
Whether you are shopping for women’s or men’s shoes or insoles/inserts for plantar fasciitis, it may also be possible to make a more active recovery with the assistance of orthotics. These may help mitigate the symptoms of heel pain.
Which are the best shoes in the UK for plantar fasciitis?
A peer-reviewed study revealed that Vionic contoured sandals effectively alleviate heel pain*. In the study, a trial period of 12 weeks (targeting 150 heel-pain sufferers age 50+) showed that patients wearing Vionic contoured sandals were 68% more likely to report improvement in symptoms compared to those wearing flat flip flops.
Results also showed that the contoured sandal provided similar relief to best-selling Vionic orthotic insoles in alleviating heel pain.
Can Vionic shoes help reduce heel pain (plantar fasciitis)?
By wearing orthotic shoe inserts or supportive shoes, you can align your feet and reduce over-pronation. Extra arch support and realignment of the lower leg to its natural angle reduces the pulling and strain on the plantar fascia.
This can take away a common cause of heel pain and reduce the aggravation of heel spurs. Vionic’s VIO-MOTION technology is shown to help reduce over-pronation and associated conditions due to misalignment. If you are looking for shoes for plantar fasciitis, find a pair of shoes from Vionic that provide heel support, comfort and style.
You may be able to enjoy instant relief through this breakthrough technology built into a selection of stylish casual and dress shoes, walking-specific shoes and sandals, supportive slippers and more.
If you are looking for shoes that help with plantar fasciitis, Vionic has a wide selection of expert-backed styles which deliver support and style for all-day comfort.
What shoes to wear for plantar fasciitis?
Vionic shoes offer excellent arch support, cushioning and shock absorption, which means they can offer relief for those with plantar fasciitis, flat feet or high arches. Your choice of style will depend on your personal preference, but you can shop for top styles for plantar fasciitis and choose from trainers, walking shoes, flats, work, recovery, boots and dress shoes, slippers and even heels and wedges with VIO-MOTION support with Vionic.
Go online at www.vionicshoes.co.uk to discover the top shoes for plantar fasciitis in the UK.
*Based on a peer-reviewed clinical study partially funded by Vionic on people experiencing moderate, non-traumatic heel pain. Vionic contoured sandals were shown to be comparable in effectiveness to Vionic Insoles (Orthotics).
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