Why the Wrong Shoe Makes Plantar Fasciitis Worse

Price: around £140. The Adrenaline GTS uses Brooks’ GuideRails system to limit excess foot movement without rigid posts, and it is comfortable over long distances. It has a 10 mm heel drop, a removable insole, and wide fittings, and it is a recurring recommendation from UK podiatrists for plantar fasciitis and Achilles issues. The Brooks Addiction Walker is the walking-specific alternative and has a loyal following among people with heel pain, though the toe box is narrower than the Adrenaline.

HOKA Stinson 7 — Best for Trails and Rough Ground

Price: around £160. The Stinson 7 has the most stack height in the HOKA range, in three widths, with a removable insole that takes orthotics well. It is the one to pick if your heel pain flares on trails and uneven ground rather than smooth pavements.

Vionic 23Walk 2.0 — Best Everyday Walking Shoe with Built-In Arch Support

Price: around £120. Vionic’s shoes are built around podiatrist-designed arch support and a firm heel counter, and the 23Walk 2.0 is the remake of the classic Vionic Walker. It comes in a wide (E) fitting. The caveat: Vionic does not state that the insole is removable, so if you wear custom orthotics, choose a model with a confirmed removable insole instead. Vionic’s own product pages and customer reviews repeatedly describe the range as plantar fasciitis footwear, with many buyers reporting relief.

MBT and Joya — Best Rocker Sole Alternatives

MBT is the original rocker-sole brand, designed for rehabilitation, and its UK site explicitly markets several models as “Plantar Fasciitis Friendly,” with cushioning designed to reduce strain on the fascia. Joya is a Swiss brand with soft, curved soles for joint relief; the Joya Chicago is in the Sole Guide database at £195 and is rated for all-day standing on hard surfaces. Neither brand is as widely tested as HOKA or Brooks, so treat them as options worth trying on rather than guaranteed picks.

Skechers GO WALK Arch Fit — Best Budget Starting Point

Price: around £70. The GO WALK Arch Fit offers solid arch support at a good price, is lightweight and machine washable, and is a decent starting point if you are not sure what you need yet. It comes in standard and wide fittings with a removable insole. It is not as protective as the HOKA or Brooks options, but it is a reasonable entry-level choice.

DB Wider Fit Shoes Easy B Range — Best for Extra-Wide Fittings

Price: from around £75. If your foot is very wide or swollen, the DB Easy B range goes up to 8E with removable insoles across the range. It is not a performance walking shoe, but it is one of the few UK-available options that combines genuine extra width with orthotic compatibility.

What to Avoid

The UK high street is full of shoes that will make plantar fasciitis worse. Avoid flip-flops and backless slippers—they have no arch support and no heel cushioning, and the gripping motion needed to keep them on strains the fascia directly. Avoid completely flat shoes such as ballet flats and plimsolls, which put maximum stretch on the fascia. Avoid worn-out trainers: running shoes lose their cushioning after roughly 400 to 500 miles, and many people keep wearing them long after they have stopped protecting the foot. Avoid heels over 3 cm: a moderate heel drop helps, but anything higher shifts weight to the forefoot and changes your gait in ways that stress the fascia. And avoid walking barefoot on hard surfaces, which NHS guidance specifically warns against.

Getting the Fit Right in the UK

A good shoe in the wrong fit is still a bad shoe. Measure your feet late in the day, when they are largest, and fit the larger foot. Take the insole out and stand on it—if your foot spills over the edges, the shoe is too narrow. Check toe room: there should be about half an inch between your longest toe and the front of the shoe. Wear the shoes indoors for short periods first, and check for redness or pressure marks before wearing them outside.

If you are buying orthotics separately, look for shoes with a confirmed removable insole and enough depth to accommodate the insert. The HOKA Clifton 10, New Balance 860v14, and Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 all have removable insoles and are rated highly for orthotic compatibility.

When to See a Podiatrist

Shoes are the foundation, but they are not the whole treatment. NHS guidance suggests seeing a GP if the pain is severe, keeps coming back, or has not improved after two weeks of self-care. A podiatrist can recommend insoles and the right shoes, or a night splint, and can refer you for physiotherapy or, in persistent cases, treatments such as steroid injections or shockwave therapy. In many areas of the UK you can self-refer to NHS podiatry or musculoskeletal services without seeing a GP first, although waiting times vary and podiatry is not free everywhere.

Plantar fasciitis usually resolves within 6 to 12 months, but the shoes you wear during that period determine how much of it you spend in pain. The right walking shoe—firm in the arch, secure at the heel, cushioned underfoot, and roomy enough for an insole—will not magically fix the fascia. But it will stop every step from making things worse, and that is the first thing that has to happen before anything else can help.