Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a long-ish response, and it includes commentary on several products to help with my PLANTAR FASCIITIS (some purchased on Amazon, some not). It has been about two and a half months since I started using these items. I hope this information is helpful to others! About me: 50-yr old woman; Active – city-dweller – walking 2-5 miles every day (errands, taking kids to school & etc); Former serious runner (now swimming & stationary bike); Flat-feet; Generally ~10 lbs extra. And my Plantar Fasciitis: Started about a year and a half ago (though I noticed mild & passing arch discomfort ~15 yrs ago when I was running daily); Pain is primarily in the right foot; Got much worse & persistent Spring 2016: Switched to wearing stability running shoes as often as possible + supportive summer shoes; Started seeing a foot doctor & investigating different treatments/supports June 2016. The Pain: Unlike many descriptions of plantar fasciitis, my pain was not noticeably worse first thing in the morning. It tended to be nagging during the day, and more so on days when I was walking/standing a lot. The midsole and heel area was also painful when pressed (like an internal bruise). X-rays confirmed plantar fasciitis with slight beginning of a heel spur; Dr said that plantar fasciitis can present in different ways. FUTURO ARCH SUPPORT (pharmacy & Amazon): One of the first items I purchased. Eases pain. Don’t know if it really helps, but the pressure up against the arch feels good. I tend to wear these around the house with flip-flops & sometimes without shoes. [https://www.amazon.com/Futuro-Therapeutic-Arch-Support-Moderate/dp/B00WN8LIAI/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1472218152&sr=8-1&keywords=futuro+foot+arch+support] PLANTAR FASCIITIS ARCH SLEEVE (pharmacy): Cheap, useless; Actually uncomfortable. Idea isn’t bad, but impossible to keep the gel portion exactly where it should be for maximum pressure/support. [http://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/509757/450.jpg] ALPHABRACE NIGHT SPLINT (Amazon): I purchased this after reading how effective a night splint can be. And it is TRUE. After one night (~ 2hrs of wear), the sharp pain was significantly lower. It is not really comfortable to sleep in (though not intolerable either). I continue to wear the splint as often as I can – generally 5-6 days per week (day or night), for 2-3 hours each time. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PB07S8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1] POWERSTEP ORTHOTIC (podiatrist & Amazon): My podiatrist recommended that I wear good orthotics whenever I can, so I replaced the insole in my sneakers with these. While there has been no dramatic change, I can definitely wear my running sneakers all day without real discomfort. But I don’t know if it is the orthotics – or the combination of several treatments, including the night splint. Worth noting: this orthotic was $80 from my doctor, and $33 on Amazon. [https://www.amazon.com/Powerstep-Pinnacle-Orthotics-U-Blue-Mens/dp/B000KPKMX0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472218880&sr=8-2&keywords=powerstep+orthotic] ORIGINAL XBRACE (Amazon): This one actually feels good. I wear it when my foot feels “fragile.” When I know I am going to be on my feet for a long time, I pop them in my bag. If my foot or arch gets sore or tired, I put them on, and I feel better right away. They are fairly comfortable with sandals & okay with sneakers. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017MZZ7LM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1] DARCO PLANTAR FASCIITIS FOOT SLEEVE (podiatrist & Amazon): This is another one that feels good, and I use it much like I use the Xbraces – when I will be out walking a lot – or if my foot feels weak/tired. I think I prefer the Xbraces. Podiatrist charged me $35 & it is $13 on Amazon. [https://www.amazon.com/Darco-Plantar-Fasciitis-Sleeve-Compression/dp/B00ICPX6TW/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1472219672&sr=1-2&keywords=darco+foot+sleeve] PROFOOT ORTHOTIC (pharmacy & Amazon): I use these in non-sneaker closed shoes, and I feel they are somewhat helpful. Probably because they make the shoe a bit tighter against the arch & they lift my heel a little. But they are half-orthotics (heel to just before the ball of the foot), so they shift a bit. [https://www.amazon.com/PROFOOT-Plantar-Fasciitis-Orthotics-Mens/dp/B007S8XYAK/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1472220517&sr=8-1&keywords=profoot+orthotic] STRETCHING: I do the usual recommended stretches for plantar fasciitis 3-4 times per week, five minutes each time. Rolling both foot over a tennis ball or rolling pin Rolling the foot over a frozen bottle of water Towel stretch – pulling the toes forward *SHOES* RUNNING SHOES: I googled “best running shoes for plantar fasciitis,” and I found several posts from good runner sites that listed stability shoes popular with runners who suffer from plantar fasciitis. Saucony seems to come up the most. DANSKO SANDALS: Though I’ve never been a huge fan of their clunky, closed clogs, their shoes come up frequently in online forums about plantar fasciitis. I’ve been fairly pleased with my katy sandals. They have a 1.25 inch heel. Worth noting, I found mine on sale for $29 (not the more common $60-99). [https://www.amazon.com/Dansko-Womens-Katy-Smooth-9-5-10/dp/B00MAVAZ6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472219886&sr=8-1&keywords=dansko+katy] CROCS MINI-WEDGE (Amazon): Crocs are another shoe line that comes up often in forums about plantar fasciitis. The important aspect for helping with plantar fasciitis is that the heel should be lifted and there is good support in the arch (so the loose, chunky original crocs, not so much). These mini-wedges have a 1.5 inch heel. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IV5BAE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1] VIONIC FLIP-FLOPS (podiatrist & Amazon): Vionic shoes come up frequently in online searches about plantar Fasciitis. In addition, they seem to be the most common shoes sold in podiatrist’s offices. So I bought a pair. Price is shocking ($85!). I think they are fine; I rotate them with the crocs & the danskos. If I were to buy another pair, I would buy a model with a slightly higher heel (the heel on these is .5-.75 inch). [https://www.amazon.com/44TIDEII-BLK-Vionic-Womens-Tide-Flops/dp/B00D9844SE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472220686&sr=8-1&keywords=vionic+flip-flops]