A plantar fasciitis sufferer puts the most supportive and comfortable trainers to the test

The best way I can describe these shoes is like a comforting hug to my feet. I tend to walk around 12k steps a day - with my daily dog walk and trip to and from the tube for work - and when my plantar fasciitis is bad, I can’t wait to swap my shoes for my slippers. Yet the thing about these trainers is that they provide the same level of comfort as my slippers, if not better.

As one user wrote: “It feels like I am walking on clouds in these shoes”, and I am in total agreement. The shoe is the latest launch to the popular brand and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Aesthetically I love the design of the fine knit material which is a great breathable fabric and even though I wore these shoes for walking, not running, at no point did I feel my feet were getting sweaty, even on hot days. The heel of the shoe is quite high as it contains a cushioned pillow like material that not only held my foot in snugly and gave a bounce to my stride, but gave me height too which I loved. According to the website, the rounded OOfoam™ heel geometry is created to enhance impact absorption and when normally I would feel a plantar fasciitis twinge in my left foot as it hits the ground, in these shoes I felt nothing thanks to this design.

For all these reasons, plus the fact the front of the shoe has a large foot bed for the toes to spread, rather than be pushed together, the OOmy Stride makes the top spot. Expensive but great value for money as these will be worn on repeat due to their comfort factor!

A hands free super comfy trainer that you can slip on and off is perfect for me - these are hassle-free, making them the best everyday comfort for plantar fasciitis. I love the black knit fabric that is so soft it almost feels like jelly, yet once on really holds the foot in place securely. I also like the fact it has no laces. In terms of comfort factor, it ticks all the right boxes with its air-cooled memory foam cushioned insole that helps keep the foot protected. It also has a slip resistance outsole which really helps if you suffer from plantar fasciitis as it stops the foot from moving awkwardly; something that can trigger my sore spot. I can wear these all day with no pain!

These lace up leather trainers look a lot more expensive than they are and fit true to size. They have a fairly wide fit which I thought might not give my feet the support they needed but that wasn’t the case. Although leather can often feel heavy, these are super lightweight and I felt I could wear them all day. The memory foam insole really felt as though it was taking pressure off the plantar fascia, which meant these were an absolute pleasure to wear. 

As for the design (they have little raised sparkles on them), one user wrote: “These shoes are certainly eye-catching, they have been much admired,” with another saying “these shoes are very comfortable and stylish, love the sparkly bling, very happy with them.”

Again, the fact you can slip them on and off with a zip, rather than tie up the shoes every time you wear them, is a bonus. These are real multi-tasking shoes – I keep them by the front door and wear them to the shops, out to meet friends and to work.

My plantar fasciitis has meant I have been unable to wear high heeled shoes for the past nine months, so I am always looking for a fashionable alternative. These trainers are absolutely amazing and would have made joint first place in this list for comfort factor, but on a practicality level they have made second place, only because they are too nice to wear on a daily basis.

If you are new to the brand, you are probably lucky enough not to have feet issues as Calla has become synonymous for its fashionable footwear that is crafted to provide comfort for women suffering with everything from bunions to plantar fasciitis. I wore these soft leather shoes to a work event where I was on my feet for eight hours and they felt magical. I’m so used to feeling a bit grumpy when the pain in my heel starts to throb but I was so conscious they didn’t aggravate my plantar fasciitis at all. In fact, it disappeared. Thanks to the arch supported insole, you don’t feel the impact of the foot touching the ground, and I definitely thought the trainers had a larger toe box in the shoes as my toes had plenty of wiggle room. I’m also a fan of the 3cm sole which made these very feminine shoes a cool look worn with jeans or a midi dress.

One reviewer praised the shoes, saying: “Finally a shoe that fits and can be worn all day! I have a large bunion and hammer toe on one foot and also plantar fasciltis and have struggled to find a comfortable walking shoe until now.”

Although I don’t do proper hikes, I do a lot of off road trail dog walks on weekends, which have me on my feet for at least two hours. And having put these shoes through their paces over the past two weekend walks, they have totally lived up to my high expectations (a lot of my friends swear by HOKA as being their go-to for trainers). 

I loved the look of them and the cosmic pearl/oatmilk colour is very original and looked really nice with my black leggings. Being waterproof is a huge bonus as it made a nice difference to my usual walking boots that give me zero comfort when my plantar fasciitis is bad. And it was also a welcome change to wear a mid-height shoe, as opposed to a normal trainer, which sat perfectly on my ankle, without causing the skin to rub. The quick toggle lace meant I didn’t need to tie them up, you just slip them on to your feet and pull the toggle tight. The shoes felt so bouncy on, at times I felt I could break out in to a sprint with them as they power the feet on. An engineered knitted fabric meant my feet were kept non-sweaty throughout my walks and I was pleasantly surprised that this material didn’t let water in when it rained. 

One user described these shoes as having a “Solid construction and being super stylish,” adding “it will be hard not to wear these for everyday errands in addition to trails.” I agree and will be wearing them for both!

While the majority of brands don’t make shoes with plantar fasciitis in mind, Sole Bliss does (along with bunions and other foot problems) - so much so it has a section on its website dedicated to the condition. 

As mentioned above, I find wearing high heeled shoes uncomfortable with my plantar fasciitis so finding a pair of shoes to add a bit of glamour to my nights out has not been so straightforward - but these are the answer! They are designed with a superior arch support mechanism, which makes them ideal for women with plantar fasciitis. My pain is often so bad I can’t walk barefoot, so with these shoes the arch helps distribute pressure evenly across the foot and the triple-layer underfoot cushioning definitely made me feel as though when I walk in them there is a much softer impact with the ground.

I love the combination of leather and suede and the navy/silver colour of the shoes, which I wear with jeans or a smart outfit. I feel they totally transform the look and I often get complimented on them a lot. They are also super easy to slip on and off once you have tied the bow as they have a zip. 
There are numerous five star reviews online that echo the words of one user:  “The best pair of trainers I have ever bought. They are very on trend, lovely soft leather and so comfortable that I don't know I am wearing them. Will definitely buy them in another colour.” (Check out the metallic snake, black and glitter and chocolate leather styles; they are all stunning!).

These shoes come in a wide or extra wide fit and offer ample space for your feet. Although I don’t necessarily have wide feet, I do have corns on my little toe which hurt in normal trainers and in these they didn’t rub against the fabric at all and I was aware they were very spacious. I have been wearing these shoes on the treadmill at the gym and they are super sturdy, holding my foot in place and not hurting the sole as it impacted with the treadmill. The high instep design is very obvious when you put the shoes on as it kind of bends to the curve of the foot.

Customers have said that they fit nicely, with many agreeing the cushioned heel support and wide fit has brought welcome relief to their feet. My only gripe is they make my feet look bigger than they actually are.

I have to start off by saying these only start in a size 6 (39) but as I am in between a 5/6, they actually fitted like a glove. Although they are named as hiking shoes, I actually wore them to run in as they were so comfortable. As those with plantar fasciitis know, the pain can often be unbearable but these really helped alleviate the stabbing sensation I was feeling on and off on the days I wore them as they’re super cushioning. Not only is the sole cushioned but the support around the ankle is too so the foot feels snug and I felt a slight bounce to my stride on my run. I actually have managed a few 5k runs in these shoes and at no point did I experience any discomfort, which is a miracle as I’ve not really been able to exercise as much as I used too with the onset of plantar fasciitis. 

Customers say they love the wide fit at the front of the shoe, and the lightweight of the material. “It feels like I’m walking on clouds in these shoes,” wrote one user, which I think pretty much sums these up.

Offering stability, cushioning, arch support and flexibility, the Vionic Walker Women's Trainers are designed to help alleviate heel pain often caused by plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.

They're equipped with 'vio motion' technology, created by the brand to help correct pronation while promoting full-body alignment. They have a special orthotic insole that will provide your arches with the extra cushioning and support they need to ensure you can keep moving with maximum comfort.

Run your daily errands in complete supportive comfort by wearing the Skechers Arch Fit - Keep It Up trainers. Sketchers has used 20 years of data and 120,000 unweighted foot scans to design these shoes so everything about them, from the shoe to the insole inside, has been developed with the help of podiatrists.

Featuring a breathable engineered knit super in a Stretch Fit pull-on style trainer, they promise sock-like comfort with a Sketchers Arch Fit insole for arch support, which helps mould to your foot to reduce shock and increase weight dispersion to take some of the pressure off the parts of your foot where plantar fasciitis is causing you pain.

Customers said that "these are so comfortable right out of the box" and that they can wear them all day with little to no pain.

The Asics GT-2000 12 trainers are a great option for those with overpronation, which is quite common for people with plantar fasciitis to have, as they help with pronation control. If you're not sure what that is, it is all to do with the way your foot lands on surfaces when you walk or run.

Those with overpronation tend to put extra pressure on certain parts of their foot as the 'shock' of your landing isn't absorbed evenly throughout your foot. These trainers are designed to provide extra stability by guiding your foot in a natural way and it has PureGEL technology to improve softness on your feet with added shock absorption to reduce impact.

Inside there is an OrthoLite sock liner and FF blast plus foam which provide step-in comfort and lightweight cushioning. Customers said that they are very comfortable shoes and that they also look great too.

As those with plantar fasciitis know, having the condition can make it feel like you've got a stabbing pain in your heel whenever you walk, but the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13 Shoes should help alleviate some of it as they're super cushioning.

They're designed with lots of foam, both underfoot and throughout the midsole, which will make you feel like you're walking on a cloud with every step you take. With an ultra-modern look on the outside, these trainers offer a breathable yet supportive fit, thanks to the engineered mesh upper.

Available in a variety of colours, customers say that they can now stand for hours at a time without experiencing the discomfort that they did before. One pointed out that "if you have wide feet - they are still comfy and not too tight that it causes pain or cramping, but I can see the side of my foot poking out of the soft mesh a bit".

Available in an EE width fitting with a roomy toe box, the FitVille Women's Cloud Wanderer V8 trainers offer ample space for your feet. As well as providing a fabulous fit for those needing a wider fit trainer, they are designed to provide heel pain relief, thanks to the cushioning innersole and the 5cm high EVA sole for optimal shock absorption.

They're made with a high-elastic knit upper for added stretch and breathability, plus they're machine washable so you keep them as fresh as can be and odour-free. Customers have said that they fit nicely, with one saying "These trainers are wide enough to fit my L ankle which sticks out with extra bone due to arthritis. They are very comfortable, when out on a walk.".