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If you’re a plantar fasciitis sufferer, you don’t need us to tell you that it—excuse the medial jargon—sucks. The foot pain can make it hard to do the most basic tasks like walking, standing, or driving, and it can make more strenuous things like hiking, working out, or running with your dog impossible. But there is help. The right footwear, including good sneakers, walking shoes, and the best plantar fasciitis inserts, might be all you need.
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The term plantar fasciitis might sound complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple. We spoke with two experts, including Disha Shah, DPM, who explains that “in layman’s terms, plantar fasciitis is pain and inflammation of the plantar fascia, the tissue at the bottom of your foot that connects the heel bone to your toes and supports your arch.” Thankfully, it’s also pretty simple to diagnose. Podiatrist Patrick McEneaney, DPM, confirms that you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis if you experience heel pain after walking first thing in the morning, after a long drive or car ride, or after a workout.
Our editors and writers—including parents, runners, hikers, fitness enthusiasts, and more—researched and compared dozens of top-selling insoles that promised to help with plantar fasciitis. We paid close attention to comfort, durability, price, and, of course, how well they actually supported our feet and foot pain. After several months of testing, these are our top eight picks for the best plantar fasciitis insoles worth buying in 2023.
Not convinced if insoles really can fix (or at least help) your plantar fasciitis? We get it. Thankfully, a pair of these dirt-cheap memory foam insoles from Walk-Hero will only set you back less than $25 (closer to $10 on sale), so they’re about as close to risk-free as it gets. They offer all the essential features that most podiatrists recommend in a decent pair of plantar fasciitis insoles, including high arch support, a deep heel cup, and a solid, sturdy construction.
Our panel tested several pairs of these insoles and was surprised at how well they worked. We found that they’re best suited for those with high arches, as the arch borders on “extreme,” which can be too much for some. The deep heel cup helped stabilize the rear of our foot, even in high-intensity activities. We also found the combination of memory foam with other types of high-density foam provided excellent shock absorption. Plus, the “no-cut” design made for more convenient installation, as we just bought the sizes we needed, placed them in our shoes, and carried on.
The affordable price and overwhelmingly positive Amazon rating—including more than 14,000 five-star reviews—make these a solid budget buy, in our opinion. They’re well-made for everyday use (at work and around the house) and durable enough for more active pursuits like jogging, running, and hiking.
Rave Review: “I was experiencing mild plantar fasciitis and figured an arch support might help. Oh yes! I use these in my sneakers, hiking shoes, and workout shoes, and I bought multiple inserts so that I didn’t have to switch them out all the time. They work great and provide relief for my high arches.”
If you’re not quite ready to splash out on a pricey pair of custom insoles for your plantar fasciitis, these are the next best thing. They’re purposely designed with an ultra-thick construction and a high arch for serious PF support. We also love that they ship with built-in odor control to keep foot funk at bay, even after your nastiest workouts.
We gave these to the testers on our panel with the highest arches. Straight out of the box, they trimmed them to fit, and tested them in various footwear, including sneakers, dress shoes, and hiking boots. We found the high-density foam footbed to be both extremely supportive and comfortable without the “too-squishy” softness of lesser inserts. “I’ve put at least a few hundred miles of jogging on these. They’re crazy comfortable, and holding up really well too!” With the organic odor control tech, we also found they were the best at minimizing smelly feet—a great feature for athletes.
At more than $50 per pair, these are a pricey option. But they’re among the best-made insoles we’ve tested (for plantar fasciitis and in general). The quality is top-notch. They offer every feature the podiatrists we spoke to recommended, and they’re available in large sizes, too (up to women’s 14). If you’re a plantar fasciitis sufferer with extremely high arches, these are the insoles to buy before you decide to go the custom orthotics route.
Rave Review: “Now my go-to inserts. I have high arches and plantar fasciitis and these have made a huge difference in my foot comfort. I wear them in my house shoes, walking shoes, boots, pretty much anything that will fit."
Like Superfeet, Spenco is another solid name in insoles. Its very long and accurately named Polysorb Cross Trainer Athletic Cushioning Arch Support Shoe Insoles are among the most versatile we’ve ever tested. They’re designed, first and foremost, to be worn by active wearers for everything from walking to jogging to cross-training to running and beyond. But we found they’re also ideal for everyday wear, too. With a neutral arch, they’re also designed to work for a wide variety of foot shapes and sizes.
At the core of these plantar fasciitis-friendly insoles is an EVA forefoot cushion that’s soft yet supportive. Our panelists found them comfortable and responsive with a surprising amount of “spring” (a.k.a. “energy return” in technical footwear terms) that makes them perfect for high-intensity activities. That same material also provides plenty of impact resistance and shock absorption to help minimize foot fatigue. Even the panelists with back and knee pain felt that these helped their joints. After a few months of testing, especially on morning jogs and trail running, we found them to be incredibly breathable and, even better, odor-free.
At $25 per pair, these might be the best value (bang for your buck) insoles for plantar fasciitis sufferers on the market. They’re especially great if you’re an active person, but they’re designed to work well for just about anyone.
Rave Review: “I have been using these for many years, ever since the podiatrist recommended them … Wonderful for persons who have plantar fasciitis.”
Read more: Best Arch Support Running Shoes
If you’re hard on your feet—someone who’s a bit heavier or spends long hours on their feet all day—you want a pair of plantar fasciitis inserts that’ll go the distance. Walkomfy’s Heavy Duty Support Pain Relief Orthotics are it. The double-thick construction combines memory foam and EVA foam for a durable, supportive walking surface that cradles your feet and keeps your heels well-planted. It’s also the only insole in our roundup with an extra shock-absorbing heel pad to minimize impact.
Our testers—heavy or not—found these to be the thickest plantar fasciitis insoles by far. They’re extremely padded and comfortable but with a firm build that’s designed for maximum support. Our largest panelist (over six feet and 250+ pounds) took these on daily jogs and a few extended backpacking trips in Colorado and found them to be perfect, noting, “My favorite pair of hiking boots that I’ve had for years felt brand new after installing these!”
With a price tag of around $45 per pair, these are on the higher end of the insoles we tested this year. But the unique, ultra-heavy-duty design is a standout among a sea of similar-looking and similar-functioning options. If you’re a “fluffier” wearer or someone who puts serious miles on their shoes on the regular, these are definitely worth a look to help alleviate plantar fasciitis foot pain.
Rave Review: “Had a flare-up of plantar fasciitis pain. Purchased these around 2 am when I could barely walk from the pain. Noticed a huge relief after 2 days. So far I’m happy with this purchase.”
Most insoles are designed to be ready-to-go right out of the package. While this can be a good thing, it means that they rarely conform to your body or, in the case of insoles, your feet. Fulton takes a different approach. Instead of the typical “multi-foam-layer construction,” its Athletic Insoles combine organic cotton and cushioning foam over a shock-absorbing cork footbed. So, you get the benefits of all three: Maximum breathability, excellent padding and comfort, and impact resistance in a semi-custom-molded insole that’s perfect for plantar fasciitis sufferers.
Straight out of the box, most of our testers found these insoles took longer to break in than almost any other we tested for 2023. But that’s also their greatest strength. That break-in period is required due to the cork layer taking time to mold to your feet properly. After about a week, these were extremely comfortable—some of the comfiest in our roundup. Several of our most active panelists said these were also some of the most breathable, especially during high-intensity workouts and activities. Across the board, we also agreed that these were versatile enough to work with more arch heights than any other.
Our only beef with these insoles is that they’re pricier than most we tested, but not by much. At roughly $50, they’re still a bargain if you’re willing to splurge a little to help alleviate your plantar fasciitis foot pain. And, can you really put a price on relieving your foot pain?
Rave Review: “Probably my favorite insoles that I have tried. They mold to your feet so it is a custom fit. So much support and very comfortable. It's been a game changer for my plantar fasciitis.”
Read more: Fulton Insoles Review
One podiatrist we spoke with, Mark Mendeszoon, recommends two important things for finding the best plantar fasciitis insoles: Good medial arch support and a deep heel cup. Powerstep’s Pinnacle Breeze Insole has both. “[They’re] multiple-layered with a nice deep heel cup that controls pronation and heel impact. Good, well-fitted and formed medial arch to support the foot from collapsing,” says Mendeszoon. He likes that these also offer “a combination of soft and durable materials to give good protection and support of the foot and ankle.”
Our panelists—especially the most active among us—all loved these insoles. They’re lightweight, comfortable, and supportive. We found that they helped alleviate almost every kind of sports-related pain, from back to knee to, of course, plantar fasciitis. What truly sets them apart for us, however, is how airy and breathable they are. The mesh design is perfect for wicking away sweat and moisture, plus they dry fast and fend off nasty odors and bacteria, too.
They’re not the most affordable insoles in this year’s roundup, at around $30-$50. But the thoughtful design is perfect for active plantar fasciitis sufferers who need something to alleviate their pain, especially while working out. The neutral arch support also makes these a great option for a wide range of wearers.
Rave Review: “I have terrible overpronation & plantar fasciitis. I put these into my Asics tennies and my feet are singing!”
New insoles (whether for plantar fasciitis or otherwise) can make already-fitted or snug-fitting shoes too tight. This is especially common for full-length insoles, which is why sometimes a three-quarter-length insole might be a great alternative. Sof Sole’s Plantar Fascia Support ¾ Length Insole is designed to fit in almost any type of footwear, from dress shoes to running sneakers to boots. The mostly nylon construction adds soft gel in the heel to limit the impact and pain from heel strikes—great for long days spent on hard surfaces.
Our test panel loved these basic insoles for casual wear. During our three-month test, we found these to be almost perfect for running errands, wearing on dates, to restaurants—you get the gist. We noticed, however, that they’re prone to sliding around within the shoe for more active pursuits. So, they’re not great for jogging, running, or gym workouts.
Still, for around $22, we’re happy to recommend these insoles for plantar fasciitis sufferers looking for an alternative to full-length insoles. They’re affordable, comfortable, and supportive enough for everyday use. Plus, we love that they fit more easily into almost any shoe. You might just want to buy a second full-length option to wear when you’re ready to sweat.
Rave Review: “They helped my plantar fasciitis so much I just bought another pair for my non-work shoes (nurse).”
If you can’t or just don’t want to drop $40 or more on a new pair of insoles, we get it. These heel cups are a solid, affordable alternative. They’re compact, making them great for travel or nights out when you might want to remove them from your shoes at some point. But a self-adhesive base also helps to keep them firmly in place if you’re looking for a semi-permanent solution.
Our panelists didn’t know what to make of these at first since they’re unlike anything else we tested for this roundup. They’re also different from everything the podiatrists we spoke with recommended. Still, we found they worked well for the price, and we liked that they fit easily into any shoe (from dress shoes to hiking boots). The design elevates the heel to, in theory, minimize fatigue on the feet, legs, and back. We found the latex-free gel to be soft and comfortable yet firm enough to feel supportive. The design does take some getting used to, and our testers had mixed reactions. Most agreed they liked them better than nothing at all, but the serious plantar fasciitis sufferers on our panel said that true insoles were still the best way to go.
In most cases, full-length insoles are the best over-the-counter solution for plantar fasciitis. But, we found these to work reasonably well to alleviate some foot and leg pain. We think the combination of a decent price, compact design, and solid support make them a good option if you’re looking for something different than a traditional insole.
Rave Review: “I developed plantar fasciitis last summer, and it grew progressively worse until I could barely stand to put pressure on my right foot. Then I discovered the ViveSole and within a few short days I was able to walk without pain.”
As with any medical remedy, the short answer is: Maybe. There’s little independent research that proves they work, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence (including from our own staff) to support them. The only way to know for sure is to try them out yourself.
Every podiatrist has their preferred brand of plantar fasciitis inserts. But Mendeszoon personally recommends Currex, confirming they’re “lightweight, biomechanically well-designed and a design for people with higher than normal arches and flat foot. These insoles also are specifically made for different types of shoes such as athletic cleats, work shoes, and dress shoes.”
Definitely not. Wearing any new footwear, from new sneakers to dress shoes to insoles, can take a little getting used to. But if properly fitted, insoles (even OTC plantar fasciitis inserts) should not cause or exacerbate existing foot pain. If you find that your new pair is hurting your feet, consider an alternative or discuss other options with your podiatrist.
According to Mia Wilkinson, an injury and rehab specialist and trainer at TwelveThree, “Plantar fasciitis is most often experienced by people who are very active such as athletes, long-distance runners or frequent gym goers that partake in regular high-intensity ballistic workouts with repetitive jumping actions or that involve landing on hard surfaces.”
Of course, from head to feet, every body is different. Finding the right footwear, including the best insoles, usually requires a little trial and error to figure out what’s best for you. But, no matter the size and shape of your feet, there are a few common things to look for.
Mendeszoon advises that “insoles that are designed for planter fasciitis should have a deep heel cup, perhaps some cushioning in the heel cup, a forgiving medial arch for support, and typically should be a full-length [design] so that the pressure points on the sole of the whole foot can be distributed properly."
Over the last six months, we carefully researched, compared, and personally tested many of the best-reviewed plantar fasciitis insoles available. We walked, jogged, hiked, worked for hours at our standing desks, and—well, you get the picture—to see which inserts actually helped to best support our feet and relieve our foot pain. The list above includes the eight best plantar fasciitis we think are worth shopping for this year.
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Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South Africa, and survived a near-miss great white shark attack in Mexico. His travel advice has appeared on the websites for Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, and National Geographic. He loves the great outdoors and good bourbon, and (usually) calls Tulsa, Oklahoma home. Mike also enjoys speaking in the third person.
Jacqueline Andriakos is the Executive Health & Fitness Director at Women's Health, where she oversees all health and fitness content across WomensHealthMag.com and the print magazine. She has more than five years of experience writing and editing in the wellness space and has contributed to national publications including TIME, Self.com, Health, Real Simple, and People. Jacqueline is also certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
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