Zero Drop Running Shoes

Plantar fasciitis is a painful occurrence, especially for runners. In such cases, a good pair of running shoes is a must to not only avoid worsening the condition but to help you to run comfortably. The good news is such shoes actually exist.

Updated 2020 – The best zero drop shoes for plantar fasciitis is the Altra zero drop running shoes. They provide solid arch support for plantar fasciitis, giving you relief from the pain. They also have zero toe to heel drop, making them true zero drop shoes.

In additional, here are many reviewers saying their plantar fasciltis has gotten better or even recovered after wearing this brand for a couple of months. So, let’s take a look at which Altra model is particularly good for a person with plantar fasciitis.

Does minimalist shoes help plantar fasciitis?

Franking speaking, there hasn’t been conclusive evidence showing that barefoot running can actually cure plantar fasciitis. There was a lot of hype in the past few years about how our cushioned running shoes were causing injuries to our feet. This is why brands like five fingers became really popular. Guess what? They had to recall their shoes now and pay damages because what they were advertising wasn’t true. Barefoot running isn’t the cure to all foot problems.

So, to find the answer for this question, I turned to real people. People who have plantar fasciitis and see what shoes they are wearing to reduce or eliminate their pain. This is how I found Altra. Just looking at the Amazon reviews will give you a good idea that this shoe works for plantar fasciitis folks, which is why I am recommending them below.

Zero drop shoes help your feet to naturally correct their position, instead of being molded into nubs that needs shoes to walk. When this happens, your feet will get stronger and hopefully, that will help you to over the plantar fasciitis problem as well.

Altra men zero drop shoe for plantar fasciitis review

The first thing that stuck me as I was reading reviews about this Altra Provision model is the number of people with plantar fasciitis who stands by it. Its zero drop platform reduces the heel strikes and consequently the amount of the pressure on the runner’s heels. It is not uncommon to see reviewers talking about the disappearing of the plantar fasciitis pain after wearing this shoe.

The Altra Provision is also a pretty durable shoe due to the materials being used and the fact that they will provide you with 2 insoles. They can last 1-3 years even if you used them for running everyday, at least according to the people who have using them. Compared to certain ‘brands’, which can fall apart within months, this is a value for money product.

The weight of the shoe is also incredibly light. It is almost like wearing a flip flop on your feet rather than a traditional bulky running shoe. The light weight + the cushioning makes this a really comfortable shoe to wear.

The only downside I can find for this shoe is the sizing. It seems to be a bit small so you might need to buy a 1/2 size larger. If not, this shoe will sketch but you just have to bear through the initial few weeks as it is doing its sketching.

Altra women zero drop shoe for plantar fasciitis review

This female Paradigm Max Cushioning model features the same comfort and support as the men Provision model.  It is so light and comfortable that you may feel like running on a cloud!

A number of reviewers have mentioned that they have lots of problems with their feet including bunions, ball pain etc but this shoe completely takes care of these problems. Specifically, the zero drop platform takes of the heel striking issue while the wider fit removes any bunion or ball at the foot pain.

Like the men’s model, the only thing going against it is the sizing issue. If you have never wear an Altra before, you might need to try a few pairs to know how their sizing works for you. For some, you might need to order half or one size up.

Colors wise, there was 2 options and the purple is probably too loud for most. In fact, some commenters wished there were more options for them to choose from as they don’t like both the current options in pink or purple.

For people with flat feet, you might want to know that they arch support and flexibility is not as good as asics or new balance. This model is not really meant for runners with flat feet problem so you should not buy this if your feet is flat.

Altra women Alw1733G running shoes (added 2020)

Besides the above, I got to know about this model that can also be used for plantar fasciitis. It has both zero drop and wide toe box as well as cushioning, making them very comfortable to wear.

For runners with plantar fasciitis, this has helped them to reduce the pain, probably because it helps to strength the feet naturally.

More than one reviewer were saying that their pain from plantar fasciitis were reduced or gone within days of wearing these shoes.

My suggestion is to wear them around the house for a few days when they are new. If they really help, go ahead and use them for running. If they did not help, simply return them. Since you are only wearing around the house, the shoes will not be dirtied or damaged.

Whitin zero drop shoes for plantar fasciitis (added 2020)

Whitin zero drop shoes is a recent gem for zero drop lovers. They allow your feet to naturally correct their positions and help to relief your pain from the plantar fasciitis.

However, it is not an instant cure. Give it about a week but you will definitely see improvements. I saw many reviewers on Amazon with plantar fasciitis saying the same thing. You can check out their honest reviews here.

Besides being zero drop, they also have wide toe box so if you have wide feet, on top of plantar fasciitis, this is a good shoe for you.

However do note these are more casual zero drop shoes. They are not meant for running or hiking.

There are five colors to choose from and I believe both men and women can wear. Try these out and let us know if it helps your plantar fasciitis problem.

Conclusion

The Altra brand is famous for taking care of people with problematic feet. This is why I choose them as the best zero drop running shoe for plantar fasciitis runners.