Planter Fasciitis - What worked for you?

[datgh]

After limping through life for six months, I finally went to see a podiatrist for help with my Plantar Fasciitis. I have maxed out the cortizone shots which have given me total relief for a few weeks but then I can feel the pain starting to return. The doctor said I have two choices for the next step. The first is a custom orthodic and the second is PT. Anyone have any experience with either? Did it work? Either way it is going to cost me but I am ready to pay the price to get off my backside and get up and going again.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I have battled this for years. Really, really good shoes.  I just know to budget as my shoes are $150 +. I am in Brooks Glycerins right now and I mostly stay in those. No heels, no cute strap sandals, etc.  I have some leather sandals from SAS that I can wear.  Keen and Merrell are usually pretty safe (not the barefoot, minimalist sort though).  Think...really really cushion-like and supportive.  Stretching your legs and feet  and rolling a spiky massage ball on the bottom of my feet and legs helps too.  This isn't a quick fix and mine still flares sometimes.  It stinks.  Good luck.

Edited April 24, 2019 by Attolia

[happypamama]

I tried the sock thingy, and that helped a little.  I also tried the full gel insoles, which helped a little.  Wearing shoes fulltime helped a little.  What really helped a lot was when I got the gel cups for my heels.  Somehow they work better than the full insoles.  They made the pain go almost entirely away.  I do still keep my shoes (and pretty much only my sneakers, which are moderately expensive; other shoes make the PF hurt) on pretty much from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, and those plus the gel heel cups really do help a TON.

[Bambam]

I struggled for about a year or two. Therapy + the icing thing + REALLY good shoes. I don't go barefoot. I wear slippers in the house (ceramic tile, hardwood). I wear supportive shoes all the rest of the time. Often I wear my outside shoes in the house. I wear Chacos and Birkenstocks in the summer. I wear Brooks tennis type shoes and Merrell hiking boots in the winter. I have a couple of Klogs clog type shoes and a pair of Orthoheel (not sure what they are called now?) dressy shoes for dress wear. On rare occasion I wear a pair of Ugg boots - but they aren't very supportive, so I only wear them for very short periods of time. I used to wear old tennis shoes to mow - no more. I try to alternate my shoes daily. I replace my shoes (Brooks and Merrells - the Chacos and Birkenstocks are still good) regularly. 

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

My dd had this problem as a child.  It turned out she had flat feet.  She now wears running shoes from Fleet Feet (they will watch your gait and fit them for you) or Crocs or we put Superfeet (also from Fleet Feet where they fit them to the shoes you want to wear) in all other shoes.  Good shoes.

Oh, yeah, and she is never barefoot, even in the house, except for showers.

Edited April 24, 2019 by perkybunch

[math teacher]

The towel exercise that stretches the calf muscle helped me a lot. Also the one that you stretch while facing a wall-I don't know how to explain it, but if you search for exercises, it should come up. Another beneficial exercise for me was to balance on steps with the heel hanging off.

Good shoes are a must. I like Fit Flop.

[HollyDay]

Orthotics did not help me much unfortunately.  I did have to wear a boot for about 3 months then did PT.  Really, really good shoes.  In my experience, plantar fascia keeps coming back.  It hasn't been a "one and done" for me.  It did go silent for about 10 years though.  But, lately, I've had issues with it more and more often.  IF I do what I know I'm supposed to do.....wear really really good shoes, do the exercises and stretches, ice (coke bottle 3/4 filled with water is my favorite), then I'm okay. 

[TechWife]

Good shoes and physical therapy. I had to faithfully do the PT exercises. It took about six months after I started PT for the pain to be negligible. I waited way too long to start PT - about 7-8 months after the pain started. I wish I had done PT earlier, but live and learn.

[Ellie]

20 minutes ago, datgh said:

After limping through life for six months, I finally went to see a podiatrist for help with my Plantar Fasciitis. I have maxed out the cortizone shots which have given me total relief for a few weeks but then I can feel the pain starting to return. The doctor said I have two choices for the next step. The first is a custom orthodic and the second is PT. Anyone have any experience with either? Did it work? Either way it is going to cost me but I am ready to pay the price to get off my backside and get up and going again.

I bought some really ugly, terribly expensive (in the $200-300 range), German-made sandals, which had soles that were almost arched on the bottom, like rockers, so that my weight actually rested on my arches, not  my heels. Sorry--I gave them away and cannot remember the name. 😞 I bought them at a specialty shoe store, and I wore them daily for what seemed like an eternity but was probably just a few months. I also bought a pare of Keens and a pair of FitFlops. No going barefooted, which is a really hard thing for a hula dancer. 🙂 I also iced my feet when I was sitting down at home. I can now happily dance barefooted again ❤️ But I still buy good shoes for when I'm going to be on my feet for a long time, such as Keens, New Balance.

[happi duck]

What worked for me was working on the knots in my calves and along my shins.  My husband worked on them with his hands and also used a product call The Stick that we bought at a running store.  It hurt like crazy at first.

I wear shoes that are considered "barefoot".

Eta: originally found the information about knots on the "Sock Doc" website

Edited April 24, 2019 by happi duck

[alisoncooks]

I've been fighting PF for the last 6+ months. I've bought a boat load of stuff (compression socks, night braces, gel heel cups, etc) and none of it seemed to work. Well, the night brace helped but was bothersome to sleep with.

I'm currently pain free, and I can attribute it to one of two things (and I don't know which, which is annoying).  One: I started a daily stretch program a few days before... Two: I had a 5-day prescription for Prednisone (for something else).  I don't know what did it, but between those two, my pain is completely gone. 

(I'm hoping it's the stretching that helped most, so I can come back to it if needed!)

Eta: one thing that did help: switching from a squishy/cushiony sneaker (Brooks Glycerin) to a more supportive sneaker (Brooks Adrenaline). I'm very careful to wear these when I know I'll be walking a lot. 

Edited April 24, 2019 by alisoncooks

[happypamama]

Oh, yes, I did do the stretches, and they helped a little.  So did using a frozen water bottle.  All of it helped somewhat.

[DesertBlossom]

I can't go barefoot at all. But I also hate putting shoes on. So I have several pairs of vionic flip flops that I wear religiously at home. I bought insoles for all my shoes or quit wearing the ones that didn't have support.  

[Forget-Me-Not]

Stretching, not going barefoot EVER, investing in good shoes, sandals and house slippers (Giessweins, but be prepared for sticker shock). Honestly, for me the thing that helped most though was losing 15-20 lbs. No idea if that’s an issue for you or not, but it’s what helped here. 

[ktgrok]

Mine was so bad I couldn't walk without wanting to cry. Wearing Vionic brand flip flops most of the time cured it. Seriously. 

[gardenmom5]

a chiro who does extremities - was able to get the tendons and muscles in my calf to release.  and it was over just that fast. (my plantar fasciitis was caused by a different chiro...)

[PeterPan]

I went to the best running store in the big city (the place where they sell 20 brands), got fitted by them with their whole process (treadmill, videos, scans, etc.), had them make their custom-molded inserts, and the wore the shoes RELIGIOUSLY, non-stop, all the time I was vertical in the house. 

Losing weight also helps, but mainly I had to stop the assault by wearing the shoes with supports. I'm sure for some people they have to be the really $$$ orthotics, but for me just the ones they mold at the running store were good enough. I also did frozen water bottles to work that area and get that inflammation taken down. 

[Hannah]

I also cannot go barefoot - and living in a sunny climate I took my shoes off the minute I got home.  I am pain-free now, but as soon as I've tried going barefoot again, I wake up in pain the next morning.  I have good walking shoes and for work, I wear a South African brand of shoes called Green Cross.  I mostly wear flats, but do have an inch heal for dressier days.

[rebcoola]

Stretches, my chiro does something, the big thing is shoes.  I never go barefoot anymore I have vionic slipper and sandals, also Hoka sneakers my shoe budget is high.  I also have some special socks for day with long walking.  I also have gel arch support bands for going to shoeless houses.

[Carol in Cal.]

This thread, started in 2010, has a tremendous amount of helpful information in it.

Also, for me what knocked it out completely the first time was a major regimen of prednisone that I had to take for asthma but that completely got rid of the PF.

And what got rid of it completely for me just recently, after 15 months of agony following an injury, was a Med Massager that I tried at Costco and that helped so much in one application that I went back and bought it two days later.  It took a few weeks of daily use but I am well again.  WEP

[kiwik]

Brooks Addiction Walker (NZ $270).  They last nearly two years then it starts hurting again and I get a new pair.  I can walk barefoot round the house though so must not be as bad.

[MEmama]

Supportive shoes+ orthoheels *all the time*. Ideally shoes with a slight rise work best for me. I find that switching my shoes frequently is helpful. I never ever go barefoot--I wear Vionics Mary Janes in the house as house shoes.

You'll have to experiment for the shoes that work best for your feet, which is expensive unfortunately. I was pressured into a pair of Brooks running shoes that are both hideous and extremely uncomfortable. At over $200 I feel compelled to wear them, but they don't offer me nearly enough support and I find them painful for long periods.

My most comfortable shoes right now are Oboz hiking boots; I was able to wear them for nearly 10 straight days and did tons of strenuous hiking with zero pain. They are full leather and will be too hot in the summer, but until then they are my go to. 

It takes awhile to figure out what works for any individual, but it's worth the effort. Good luck. 

[Pippen]

Stretch before leaving bed in the morning, and whenever possible before walking around before inactivity.

Custom orthodic from the podiatrist. Buy/wear only shoes that the orthodic will fit in for the first months until over the flareup.

Never go barefoot!!! I kept shoes at my bedside to put on first thing in the morning.

Expensive shoes with good support. Most of the time I wore running shoes bought at a reputable running store by someone who understands gait.  Expect to pay $125 and up. The best shoes for someone's else's plantar facitis won't be the best for you as it really depends on your gait.

Iburprofen. 

Ice multiple times a day.

I followed this religiously--no cortisone or PT and it settled down. And mine was bad--at times I felt numbness running up towards the knee.

[lmrich]

Never go barefoot! Good shoes (are you seeing the trend for whatever one says), ice. I also lost 20 pounds by swimming and diet and that has greatly reduced my foot pain. 

[Shoeless]

Custom orthotics from the podiatrist, good shoes (my podiatrist recommended certain styles of New Balance shoes), ice, stretching exercises, and never going barefoot.  I did the cortisone injection once and they were so painful!  Ugh! 

It took a few months to fully settle down.  I wore orthotics for years because I was on my feet for work. I have no issues now and can go barefoot. 

[HSmomof2]

Custom orthotics made all the difference for my plantar fasciitis. I put off getting them way too long and suffered more than I needed to. I never go barefoot, and as long as I wear supportive shoes with my orthotics, I have no problems with PF (it’s been 8 years since I got my orthotics).

[YaelAldrich]

I did the 

21 hours ago, kand said:

I ended up going the barefoot/minimalist route religiously, and now my feet are the best they’ve been since I was a kid. The plantar fasciitis only started after my last baby, but I always have had foot pain and have tried custom orthotics and always no heel, supportive shoes. Ditching the “supportive” shoes seems to have been successful for me. Your mileage may vary though, and if you don’t go barefoot much, you have to work up to it. I know  this is all contrary to what most podiatrist will advise. 

I did the same as Kand.  I went from having to wear ugly shoes, needing orthotics all the time, even in my houseshoes.  After going barefoot and doing the exercises religiously for a couple of months I have only has one mild time of PF (and that's when I gained 15 lbs).  Now I can wear cute shoes (for a couple of hours at a time and enjoy life without pain.  But yes, I look funny in my Vibram Five Fingers!

[Pippen]

13 hours ago, Pippen said:

Stretch before leaving bed in the morning, and whenever possible before walking around before inactivity.

Custom orthodic from the podiatrist. Buy/wear only shoes that the orthodic will fit in for the first months until over the flareup.

Never go barefoot!!! I kept shoes at my bedside to put on first thing in the morning.

Expensive shoes with good support. Most of the time I wore running shoes bought at a reputable running store by someone who understands gait.  Expect to pay $125 and up. The best shoes for someone's else's plantar facitis won't be the best for you as it really depends on your gait.

Iburprofen. 

Ice multiple times a day.

I followed this religiously--no cortisone or PT and it settled down. And mine was bad--at times I felt numbness running up towards the knee.

Also I replaced shoes with the same model fairly frequently because when they started to break down, my feet would start flaring up again.

[datgh]

Thank you everyone for weighing in on what to do. I decided to try the orthotics and see how it goes. The flare up has died down a lot thanks to the cortisone shots but I don't want it to come back and I am starting to feel some twinges again a few weeks out. If the orthotics don't work then maybe I will try the barefoot route. A homeschooling student who loved to go barefoot said that's the way God made you so it must be good. She may have had a point! I just hate going barefoot.

[Splash1]

Exercises every day is what helped the most and the final thing was rolling foot over tennis ball.  Shoes that worked for me were Brooks Ariel stability shoe, Dansco clogs, Halfinger Grizzly slippers, and birkenstocks.  It took several months but thankfully I am much better.  Doctor also offered shots as the next option if they didn't get better.  Orthotics didn't really help much for me so I ditched them and went with the better, more supportive shoes.

I hope you feel better soon, I know exhausting it is.

 

[mom31257]

I got rid of mine by myself doing regular stretches of my foot pulling my whole foot up toward my leg as well as being keenly aware how my feet were positioned while I slept. I think that contributed to it more than anything else. I realized I was sleeping with my feet sort of tilted down. I worked at keeping the sheets pulled tight to keep my feet more straight up than tilted down. It just became habit after awhile.  I haven't had any pain in several years. 

 

[Arcadia]

I have high arches, can’t wear Dansko shoes because my “arch bone” is high. I can’t wear Birkenstock’s shoes or clogs with socks either even if I size up. My MIL wears orthodontics and it cost about $300 per replacement pair. I find PT more helpful because I have gross motor skills issues, not just foot issues. Barefoot at home and hiking boots when out helps, I need my heel higher than my toes for comfort and less strain.

Doing ankle rotations and heel to toe exercise while making pour over coffee helps.

I do (3) tennis balls work too, (5) with kitchen counter top, and (6) standing instead of sitting https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/globalassets/pdfs/2017-rehab_foot-and-ankle.pdf

[HS Mom in NC]

Vionic shoes with orthoheel tech. I get mine at Amazon. I own these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D984434/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KJPLKFA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07941BC5V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07941BC5V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07932LJJ7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dr. Scholl's orthotic arch support inserts from the podiatrist for $45 did the job.  I could've done the custom ones, but they suggested trying the the non-custom inserts first instead of paying for the custom version.
I have Raynaud's Syndrome, so the stretching brace people wear at night doesn't work for me due to already limited circulation issues.

Edited April 26, 2019 by Homeschool Mom in AZ

[TechWife]

13 hours ago, datgh said:

Thank you everyone for weighing in on what to do. I decided to try the orthotics and see how it goes. The flare up has died down a lot thanks to the cortisone shots but I don't want it to come back and I am starting to feel some twinges again a few weeks out. If the orthotics don't work then maybe I will try the barefoot route. A homeschooling student who loved to go barefoot said that's the way God made you so it must be good. She may have had a point! I just hate going barefoot.

 

I think going barefoot will make it worse & don’t recommend it at all. I used to be a barefoot 24/7 gal, with flip flops in the summer. With plantar facitis I can’t imagine doing either. This will be my second summer in shoes and I find it very uncomfortable, but not nearly as uncomfortable as going barefoot with plantar facitis. 

[ktgrok]

 

12 hours ago, datgh said:

Thank you everyone for weighing in on what to do. I decided to try the orthotics and see how it goes. The flare up has died down a lot thanks to the cortisone shots but I don't want it to come back and I am starting to feel some twinges again a few weeks out. If the orthotics don't work then maybe I will try the barefoot route. A homeschooling student who loved to go barefoot said that's the way God made you so it must be good. She may have had a point! I just hate going barefoot.

Yes, we were meant to be barefoot..but we were also meant to be on soft ground. I HATE shoes, and go barefoot most of the time, but will admit that my feet were not designed to be standing/walking on tile/concrete/pavement/etc all day. They were meant for grass/dirt. Since I don't have dirt floors, shoes are the accommodation for that. 

However, by wearing Vionic flip flops a LOT, and doing literally NOTHING else other than stretching a bit several times a day, I healed totally. I still go barefoot in the house most of the time. I just try to wear Vionic shoes when I do go out, or if I'm on my feet a lot more than usual. 

OH! and I realized I was stressing the tendon involved when I sat in certain chairs - I'm short so my feet don't reach the ground so I'd brace my toes on the chair rung, basically pointing my toes as if I were wearing heels. That shortens that tendon, and then when you stand up it gets strained. So watch how you sit!

[ktgrok]

20 minutes ago, TechWife said:

 

I think going barefoot will make it worse & don’t recommend it at all. I used to be a barefoot 24/7 gal, with flip flops in the summer. With plantar facitis I can’t imagine doing either. This will be my second summer in shoes and I find it very uncomfortable, but not nearly as uncomfortable as going barefoot with plantar facitis. 

have you tried the Vionic flip flops? My orthopedist recommended them. I don't like their other shoes really, but the Wave and Tide flip flops are AMAZING and are specifically designed for plantar fasciitis. It's like a flip flop with built in orthotics. Took a few days to get used to them (because of the built in orthotic) but everyone I know that has tried them swears by them. This is the pair I have (they are not cheap, but they WORK. I buy a new pair every year because I wear them year round, nearly daily, and the support starts to be less by then. I can tell the difference). https://www.amazon.com/Vionic-Womens-Tide-Post-Sandal/dp/B01HOVN23O?th=1&psc=1

Edited April 26, 2019 by Ktgrok

[alisoncooks]

7 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

OH! and I realized I was stressing the tendon involved when I sat in certain chairs - I'm short so my feet don't reach the ground so I'd brace my toes on the chair rung, basically pointing my toes as if I were wearing heels. That shortens that tendon, and then when you stand up it gets strained. So watch how you sit!

Yes this! I think some of my issue is always propping my feet against the edge of an ottoman (so my toes would curve forward, like you described).

[ktgrok]

4 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

Yes this! I think some of my issue is always propping my feet against the edge of an ottoman (so my toes would curve forward, like you described).

Yes! My first flare, we'd gotten a coffee table and I was sitting with my feet against the edge of the coffee table, exactly like that. Sit cross legged instead 🙂 

Funny how a doctor will shoot steroids into your tendons but won't ask how you sit 😞

Edited April 26, 2019 by Ktgrok

[Forget-Me-Not]

+1 on the Vionic Tide flips. They helped me a ton. 

[Carol in Cal.]

6 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I have high arches, can’t wear Dansko shoes because my “arch bone” is high. I can’t wear Birkenstock’s shoes or clogs with socks either even if I size up. My MIL wears orthodontics and it cost about $300 per replacement pair. I find PT more helpful because I have gross motor skills issues, not just foot issues. Barefoot at home and hiking boots when out helps, I need my heel higher than my toes for comfort and less strain.

Doing ankle rotations and heel to toe exercise while making pour over coffee helps.

I do (3) tennis balls work too, (5) with kitchen counter top, and (6) standing instead of sitting https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/globalassets/pdfs/2017-rehab_foot-and-ankle.pdf

Have you tried Dansko sandals?  I can't wear their shoes or clogs but the sandals work great for me.

[Arcadia]

3 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Have you tried Dansko sandals?  I can't wear their shoes or clogs but the sandals work great for me.

 

I didn’t see any Dansko sandals when we go to Nordstrom Rack. I’m wearing Keen or OluKai for sandals. 

[Bambam]

On 4/23/2019 at 8:50 PM, Forget-Me-Not said:

Stretching, not going barefoot EVER, investing in good shoes, sandals and house slippers (Giessweins, but be prepared for sticker shock). Honestly, for me the thing that helped most though was losing 15-20 lbs. No idea if that’s an issue for you or not, but it’s what helped here. 

Thank you for the recommendation for Giessweins! I needed some new slippers to wear around the house, and I found some on clearance (Zappos!), and I immediately purchased them. These are great! And they are cute too!

[Carol in Cal.]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

I didn’t see any Dansko sandals when we go to Nordstrom Rack. I’m wearing Keen or OluKai for sandals. 

I get them at REI or the Walking Company (which is at Valley Fair.)  

They have more of a heel than regular sandals, kind of the same footbed as clogs, but with leather straps over the top.  Best arch support EVER, except maybe Abeo.

For regular, more casual flat sandals I wear FitFlops (often available at the Nordstrom Rack) or Teva's (from REI).

[TechWife]

3 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

have you tried the Vionic flip flops? My orthopedist recommended them. I don't like their other shoes really, but the Wave and Tide flip flops are AMAZING and are specifically designed for plantar fasciitis. It's like a flip flop with built in orthotics. Took a few days to get used to them (because of the built in orthotic) but everyone I know that has tried them swears by them. This is the pair I have (they are not cheap, but they WORK. I buy a new pair every year because I wear them year round, nearly daily, and the support starts to be less by then. I can tell the difference). https://www.amazon.com/Vionic-Womens-Tide-Post-Sandal/dp/B01HOVN23O?th=1&psc=1

 

i have not, but thanks for the recommendation! They look good. I have a 1/2 size - if you do, did you size up or down? The info on your link says to size down, which is unusual. Is that so the arch will fit correctly, I wonder?

 

[ktgrok]

Size down is accurate, I think. I wear an 8 or 8 1/2 depending on the shoe and an 8 fits me with plenty of room. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

These are all good ideas for helping the pain of PF, but keep in mind that the pain in the heel is usually just a symptom of a problem somewhere.  The fascia that surrounds your foot actually surrounds your entire body like a big sack.  Tightness in your shoulders, or back, or sides, or hips, or hamstrings, or calves (in other words, *anywhere*) can cause that fascia to pull taut against your heel and be extremely painful.  It can also cause inflammation in your heel bone, which prolongs the pain (and sometimes produces heel spurs).  You may find that your pain is worse in the morning or after sitting for awhile, but gets better when you are up and around.  That's because the pain isn't caused by a problem in your feet.  It's caused by tightness in your body.  Get on an exercise program (PT is a good start) that stretches and strengthens you everywhere, and do at least 15 minutes of stretches every single day, religiously. (I like the exercises in the book, The Core Program, by Peggy Brill, a physical therapist who specializes in core exercise especially for women).  

I was having terrible pain in my heels, so I had started walking on the sides of my feet to protect them.  Walking like that caused my feet and calves to get extremely tight, which in turn caused my buttocks to tighten up, and the problem went all the way up into my neck and jaw.  The pain in my feet was excruciating. I thought I was going to be crippled for life.  I saw a practitioner of Alexander Technique, who used gentle touches to key nerves to cause my body to release and align itself.  (It's kind of like chiropractic, except there is not any "cracking" sounds and not even a nudge to get the joints to move.  The body just releases itself automatically, and learns how to keep itself balanced and right).  My Alexander practitioner also taught me how to walk properly, in a way that encourages natural movement from my toes all the way up to my head.  I still half foot pain first thing in the morning, but after a few minutes of stretches, and walking around for a few minutes (properly), the pain goes away.  If you have an Alexander Technique practitioner anywhere near you, I would highly encourage you seen them.  If not, start doing the stretches you know, or (better) see a PT who knows about plantar fasciitis (I've had a couple who really didn't, and going was a waste of time).  I hope you find relief soon.  I know it's excruciating.

[catz]

You've gotten good thoughts here.  My husband went for a podiatrist for his so when mine flared again I tried his suggestions first and they've worked great.  Superfeet green inserts work great in my addidas shoes I use for walking/hiking.   His podiatrist says he always has people try the superfeet before getting custom orthotics and they work better for many people.   I always use slippers in the house.  Lately it's been a pair of Nike slides.  I'm a mess if I don't use those on our all hard floors.  

Expensive shoes have made a big difference in my life too.  My favorite brand right now is Alegria so I thought I would throw that out there.  We have a shoe place here that has a podiatrist come in a few times a week for a couple hours to fit people with shoes and orthotics, etc so you may want to look for something like that in your area.  

[Arcadia]

On 4/26/2019 at 2:24 PM, Carol in Cal. said:

I get them at REI or the Walking Company (which is at Valley Fair.)  

They have more of a heel than regular sandals, kind of the same footbed as clogs, but with leather straps over the top.  Best arch support EVER, except maybe Abeo.

For regular, more casual flat sandals I wear FitFlops (often available at the Nordstrom Rack) or Teva's (from REI).

 

Went to Nordstrom Rack 50% off red tag boot sale, 25% off red tag. Didn’t see Dansko sandals but did see Chaco sandals. Now I am well stocked on track shoes (Geox, Ahnu, Nike, New Balance). I’ll check out Walking Company at Valley Fair and Hillsdale for a change since I usually go to REI Saratoga and Charleston.

[Carol in Cal.]

On 4/26/2019 at 3:06 PM, Ktgrok said:

Size down is accurate, I think. I wear an 8 or 8 1/2 depending on the shoe and an 8 fits me with plenty of room. 

Another brand I size down on is Abeo. That squeezes my toes a bit, but it places their awesome arch exactly where my foot needs it to be.  These are the only shoes I have tried that have better arches than Dansko sandals.

[AngieW in Texas]

The orthotics combined with exercises from PT took care of it for me. I have to be careful not to spend too much time barefoot or I will start having problems again.

I am a teacher, so I am on my feet 8 hours/day during the week. As long as I have good quality shoes (Brooks Ghost for me) and my orthotics, I am fine.