What Are the Benefits of Birkenstock Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis?

Tell your doctor you don't need her anymore. If you have plantar fasciitis, a precursor to heel spurs, you may be desperate for pain relief. Reviews of Birkenstocks on Zappos.com rave, so forget about painful shots, and buy a pair of Birkenstock sandals or shoes instead.

Significance

• High or low foot arches require special support.

  Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of very thick band of tissue that holds up the bones on the bottom of the foot; it can make walking very painful. You may be at higher risk if you are obese, have high or low arches, run, have sudden weight gain or have a tight Achilles tendon (which connects the calf to the foot).

Treatment

• Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat plantar fasciitis.

  Treatment for plantar fasciitis usually starts with heel stretches, anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Aleve), night splints and shoe inserts. If pain is severe, your doctor can inject steroids directly into your heel. Because there is no fat there, these shots can be quite painful.

Birkentsock Company

• A pair of women's Birkenstock sandals.

  The Birkenstock company was founded in 1966 when its owner started importing the shoes from Germany. She had experienced relief from her chronic foot pain from wearing a similar pair.

Birkenstock Structure

• Your footprint in the sand echoes a Birkenstock foot bed.

  Birkenstock builds all its shoes around one of three different "foot beds" and two different widths. Birkenstocks are constructed with the shape of a healthy foot in mind. Most other shoe brands do not provide correct shape or support, which can exacerbate plantar fasciitis.

Birkenstock Benefits

• The Birkenstock foot bed is made to have orthopedically correct support. Birkenstockusa USA details the benefits of its shoes' flexibility, neutral heel, room for toes and contoured foot bed. By correcting for the misalignment of your feet, Birkenstock shoes can prevent or diminish the pain from plantar fasciitis.