Heel pain, commonly caused by plantar fasciopathy (previously known as plantar fasciitis), is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting the feet, making up 15% of foot problems in the general population¹. It contributes to impaired daily functioning for many adults, with negative impacts on both physical and mental well-being²⁻³. If you haven’t already, check out our Foot Health blog post – Behind the Design: Heel Pain - Part 1, which provides more information about plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain.
Experts agree that comfortable, supportive and cushioning footwear is an essential part of heel pain management⁴, alongside other treatments recommended by a health professional¹. We believe in many cases, FRANKIE4 footwear is a sensible first step in the plan to alleviate and prevent heel pain (like plantar fasciitis). Keep scrolling to learn more.
1. Factors that contribute to the development of mechanical heel pain (bones and soft tissues)
Many factors can contribute to heel pain, and often it may be a combination of factors that lead to pain. Some of these factors include:
• An increase in weight bearing activities⁵⁻⁶
• A change to harder walking surfaces⁵⁻⁶
• Inappropriate footwear or changes in footwear⁷⁻⁸
• Reduced range of motion in the big toe⁵⁻⁹⁻¹¹
• Reduced range of motion in the ankle¹⁻⁵⁻¹¹
• Excessive pronation⁵
2. Soft contours to cradle & cushion
Research supports the use of footwear inserts as an effective option in the management of heel pain¹² and footwear education is considered an important part of heel pain management by clinicians too⁴. The addition of a contoured insert has been shown to relieve pressure at the heel and reduce the symptoms of heel pain¹²⁻¹³.
FRANKIE4’s footwear insert is a comfortable, Podiatrist-designed insole, that features a heel cradle and gentle arch contours, designed with the aim to alleviate and prevent common foot symptoms associated with heel pain.
FRANKIE4 Sole Hero® Footbed Research Project
"I have a wide foot, heel pain and these fit perfectly, support the arch which has eliminated heel pain and look great on my feet"
JULIE R - Verified Buyer
In partnership with researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Dr Melinda Smith and Dr Sheree Hurn, we have tested the effects of FRANKIE4’s Sole Hero® Footbed in a rigorous blind-testing laboratory study of 29 women with heel pain*. The study compared the immediate effects of six different footwear and insert conditions on pressure and impact forces under the heel, as well as comfort reported while walking. Results showed that the combination of FRANKIE4’s cushioned outsole materials and Sole Hero® Footbed effectively reduced pressure under the heel and improved comfort when walking (Read publication here). The average pressure reduction achieved when wearing the Sole Hero® Footbed in our sneakers was 23-25% (compared to a control shoe condition without cushioning or contours), and this was similar to the effect of wearing an unmodified prefabricated orthotic device. The immediate reported improvement in heel comfort was 68-88% when wearing the Sole Hero® Footbed compared to the control shoe. Interestingly the combination of the Arch Peace™ and Sole Hero® Footbed together resulted in the greatest effects (25% pressure reduction and 88% improvement in comfort), although the statistics tell us this was not significantly different from the Sole Hero® Footbed alone.
*We also acknowledge support from the Commonwealth Government’s Innovation Connections Grant (2022-2023).
3. Arch Peace™; for when our customers need a little more help.
Our footwear styles that include the Sole Hero® Footbed may be all that’s needed to ‘save your sole’. If you haven’t already tried them, we recommend first trying the Sole Hero® Footbed just as is.
But if you need a little extra arch support, try adding our Arch Peace™ additions.
Arch Peace™ is a footbed customisation device developed to enhance the firmness and/or height under the arch, available in two options: Light Support and Extra Support. The FRANKIE4 Arch Peace™ is specifically designed to be placed under our contoured Sole Hero® Footbed. They are designed to work together, being the correct width and length for our Sole Hero® Footbed design. This combination helps approximate the contour of the foot, and redistribute force over a greater area which facilitates increased cushioning and shock absorption.
Previous research supports the use of contoured arch support in the treatment of heel pain, as this provides support and reduces pressures at the heel, without increasing pressures elsewhere in the foot¹³⁻¹⁵. In fact, research has demonstrated that a contoured insole significantly lowered heel pressure more than others inserts tested¹³. While previous studies have used athletic footwear styles, research conducted by QUT and FRANKIE4 confirms that this effect of reduced heel pressures can be achieved with FRANKIE4’s sneakers and Sole Hero® Footbed.
Complementary to the FRANKIE4 Sole Hero® Footbed
Arch Peace™ is designed to be worn with our Sole Hero® Footbed so that the foot may benefit from the Podiatrist-designed arch support and heel contours.
The gentle arch contour is important to ensure that whilst offloading the heel area, we don’t increase pressure on other parts of the foot (like the arch or forefoot).
The contoured and cushioned materials under the heel of the footbed are equally important to reduce loading and deformation of the heel and redistribute pressure away from the site of pain¹⁶⁻¹⁸.
"From my experience working with patients in the clinic, as well as in my research trials, footwear is an important contributor to successfully managing heel pain.
The specific features of arch contouring from the orthotic footbed and additional heel cushioning is why I often recommend FRANKIE4 footwear to my patients.
My patients report that it is a bonus that they not only fit well, but look good too!"
MELINDA SMITH - B. Physiotherapy; PhD. Physiotherapy
4. More on heel pain
Factors that reduce heel pain
Finding the most efficacious management options to treat heel pain has been the focus of much research. Studies have investigated the experience of people with plantar heel pain, the experience of clinicians treating heel pain and compared many different treatment options to establish what works best to relieve symptoms¹⁻³⁻⁴.
Based on the evidence, some of the interventions that can help to reduce heel pain include:
- Footwear inserts and orthoses¹⁻⁴⁻¹² (including off-the-shelf, prefabricated and custom orthotics)
- Exercises for the foot and ankle muscles¹,¹⁹⁻²¹
- Plantar fascia and calf stretching¹,⁴⁻²²
- Taping¹,⁴,²³
- Activity modification¹,¹⁹,⁴
- Shock wave therapy⁴,²⁴
Some of the ways that inserts can be helpful in relieving symptoms are by addressing the biomechanical contributors, reducing pressure under the foot, redistributing pressure away from the heel, limiting compression and increasing the thickness of the heel’s own fat pad, and providing increased cushioning and shock absorption.
Addressing biomechanical contributors
Evidence suggests that suboptimal biomechanics of the foot and ankle may contribute to altered plantar pressures and overload in structures such as the plantar fascia, potentially causing pain and dysfunction¹⁰,²⁵⁻²⁸. Contoured footwear inserts have been demonstrated to reduce peak pressures and redistribute load under the foot¹³,¹⁵⁻¹⁷. At FRANKIE4, our contoured footbed is designed to facilitate optimal biomechanics and movement of the foot during both stationary and dynamic tasks.
Increase plantar contact
Contoured footwear inserts result in increased plantar contact and redistribution of plantar pressures¹³,¹⁵,²⁹,³⁰, which in turn increases comfort³¹,³².
The specifically selected soft, dual density materials used in FRANKIE4 footbeds, combined with the strategic contours are designed to increase foot contact on the footbed and relieve pressure and pain.
Reduce pressure under the heel
Contoured cushioning and compressibility of the materials used in footbeds can limit compression of heel structures¹⁶⁻¹⁸, modulate plantar pressures and redistribute pressures away from the heel¹⁵⁻¹⁷,²⁹. Through ultrasonic technology the use of a contoured heel cup has been demonstrated to reduce deformation of the heel pad during gait, redistributing plantar pressure away from the heel¹⁸.
Provide additional shock absorption and cushioning
The materials used in FRANKIE4 footbeds and Arch Peace™ are specifically chosen as they have been demonstrated to be the superior choice for reducing plantar pressures¹³,²⁹ and for their high degrees of shock absorption and cushioning³³,³⁴. Footwear inserts with arch support have been shown to reduce forces associated with foot-ground impact, providing shock absorption and cushioning³⁵,³⁶.
Treating heel pain with over-the-counter heel cushions is common and studies have demonstrated that prefabricated and cheaper designs are just as effective as custom orthoses¹²,³⁷. Best practice guidelines based on research studies, expert opinion and patient values also recommends foot orthoses as part of a stepped approach to the treatment of heel pain¹,⁴.
Studies into the long-term use of footwear inserts are lacking, however one study followed participants for a period of 12 months to study the effects of orthoses on pain and function over time³⁸. Orthoses were found to be effective in reducing pain and improving sport and recreation participation and quality of life measures both in the short and long term (12 months). Over 80% of participants had continued to wear the orthoses for the entire 12-month period and no adverse effects were reported.
5. Materials we choose
Why we choose Polyurethane for our Sole Hero® Footbed (and most of our sneaker soles).
At FRANKIE4 we know that sole thickness and materials strongly influence perceived comfort in footwear³¹. The FRANKIE4 Sole Hero® Footbed is made from blown polyurethane and a latex layer to help provide optimal cushioning and pain relief for our customers. Polyurethane offers superior cushioning and shock absorption, as demonstrated in previous pressure analysis experiments³³,³⁴ and reduces peak pressure under the foot²⁹. These findings are supported by an independent study conducted at QUT. Check out the full publication here.
References
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