Inserts for Plantar Fasciitis: How They Help Relieve Pain

Dealing with heel pain can be frustrating, especially when it gets in the way of your everyday life. One of the most common sources of this discomfort is plantar fasciitis —a condition that affects people of all ages and foot shapes, from high arches to flat feet. In a recent Shoe Dog Tips video, Tony Chips breaks down a common question: Do insoles help with plantar fasciitis? The answer is yes—and using the right inserts for plantar fasciitis can be a game-changer for those seeking lasting plantar fasciitis pain relief. 

Plantar fasciitis typically shows up as sharp pain at the base of your heel, although depending on your foot type, pain might also creep up elsewhere along your foot. Common causes include prolonged standing, walking on hard surfaces, wearing unsupportive footwear, or having foot mechanics like flat feet or high arches. At Chiappetta Shoes, one of the top questions customers ask is: Do insoles help with plantar fasciitis? The answer boils down to one key principle—even weight distribution.

There are many over-the-counter inserts for plantar fasciitis available—such as Superfeet, Birkenstock, and Power Step—that cater to different foot types. Choosing the right insert means understanding your foot’s structure:

Medium to High Arches:
People with higher arches have less surface area for their body weight to spread out, which puts a lot of pressure on a small part of the foot. Inserts for high arches help balance and distribute weight more evenly across the foot, reducing the concentrated pressure at the base of the heel and promoting overall plantar fasciitis pain relief.

Flat or Flexible Feet:
Those with flatter feet have too much mobility and their feet tend to splay inward. This excessive movement leads to uneven weight distribution, often causing pain not just at the heel but along the sides or middle of the foot. Inserts for plantar fasciitis in flat feet are designed to support the medial (inner) section, holding up the arch and helping to correct that inward motion—leading to noticeable pain reduction.

Why the Right Insert Matters

The main job of any orthotic—whether custom-made or over-the-counter—is to improve weight distribution across your foot, which in turn helps to minimize pain. For high arches, the goal is to reduce pressure points, while for flat or flexible feet, the insert provides additional stability and realigns how your weight is spread.

But your foot type isn’t the only factor to consider. The kind of shoes you wear also plays a big role when choosing the correct inserts for plantar fasciitis —something our team at Chiappetta Shoes can help you with!