Good walking Shoe and Insert

Question

I have plantar fasciitis and I have come to notice off gait when i walk. When I say off I mean I can feel that when I pay attention to my stride I lean more on the left and more specifically I tend to lean more on the left into the heel of my toes as I step down and press off.

I love to walk and do so every day, in totality about 4 miles a day, every day I walk at least for 1.5 miles non stop after I eat lunch. I recently bought a pair of Nike Air Max sneakers and notice that within 2-3 months that the padding on the left shoe under the balls of my toes the padding is completely flat, no memory left at all.

My question is, and hopefully enough information was provided, what would be a good sneaker to get and would a generic Dr. Scholls insert do the trick to help with the discomfort in my feet during the day and at night. Also the more I walk, the more my plantar fasciitis acts up, I want to get back to about 10 miles a day, but I always paid for it the following morning.

Thank you,

Answer 1

Depending on how much your gait is off, you will require that much support. If its only minor and you usually walk, then you dont have any serious concerns, but if you are having discomfort or you jog often, then you need to buy a shoe specifically designed for your gait. In fact i have the same issue with a slight gait and i often run and sprint too. I recommend a Adidas Super nova if you jog, and Adidas F50 2 (running) if you Sprint. along with this, Use a Spenco Insole. They have various solutions from gel to thin insoles. I hope this solves your issue, Have a great and Healthy Day! and keep running ;)

Answer 2

Gradually moving towards barefooting and minimalist shoes (xero shoes, vivobarefoot, vibram five fingers) solved the issue for me.

If you search the web about this, you will find very controversial information. Some sources point at going barefoot as a cause of plantar fasciitis, other ones state that it helps solving it, by reinforcing the feet muscles and encouraging proper posture.

What I do know is, that it worked for me so you may consider to give it a try. Ease into it very gradually, by using your minimal shoes only for a few minutes the first day and then increase gradually.