Vionic Relief Orthotic Insoles

For those who know how painful PF is, it bites when you're trying to overcome it by simple exercises that don't address the main problem: restoring correct foot alignment & arch support. That lead me to purchasing several insoles, foot contraptions, and almost resorting to the use of a wheelchair in my near future. That's where I found SuperFeet and Orthaheel insoles. Pros- OMG, they work. Pricey but what you actually get what you pay for here. At first they were difficult to get used to because it felt like I had a cue ball under my foot because the arch support was incredibly high. But Orthaheel knew what they were doing. That's when I realized that my low arch need to be restored RATHER than just finding a comfy insole to MAINTAIN support. Plus, the heel had a gel-like circle that helped with PF pain from each step too. After a few weeks of use, my PF pain dropped from a 9 to a 3-4, and dropping. Cons- Compared to the Superfeet insoles (awesome too), the construction of Orthheels don't quite compare. I might get 4-5 yrs out of the Orthaheels compared to the 20+ years from the Superfeet. That says a lot. The heel support isn't as "tough" as what they offer on their PF sandals, but then again insoles aren't a few inches thick like their sandals. A little too "soft" when using cross-trainers and walking shoes which is where my Superfeet Green work best because they are quite firm and have a tremendously solid construction. Arch support and PF recovery are working on my Orthaheels products. Together with their sandals & insoles, I can see light at the end of this 8-month journey into pain (and slow weight gain, uugh). I've been trying out different insoles rather than going the expensive route of custom insoles (several $100s) so it's been a learning process. Many of the Superfeet insoles I tried were quite comfy but my PF pain continued. The Copper DMP (low arch), Black DMP (low arch), Blue (mid arch), and Green (high arch) weren't made for that, but they're awesome insoles MADE for great foot support AFTER treating PF. Conclusion- Now this is just my experience with the Orthaheel insoles, and the Superfeet insoles. The Orthaheel doesn't have the same durable construction as the Superfeet (Orthaheel might last 4-5 yrs) but it's specifically made for PF recovery. By the second week of using the Orthaheel sandals, pain dropped considerably. So why not try their foot insoles? Well, I did. Orthaheels insoles & sandals were made to address Plantar Fasciitis‎ (PF), and they do. However Superfeet work better AFTER you've recovered from PF, or in shoes with a lot of cushion. Since I enjoy walking & my German Shepherd dog loves to also, I noticed that Superfeet work better on cushioned shoes like cross-trainers, walking shoes, and running shoes. My Orthaheel works better on footware with limited cushion like hiking boots and dress shoes. I experienced this from lots of blisters and foot pain, but this is what works for me. So in conclusion, I will continue to buy both Superfeet Green (high-arch) as described above, and Orthaheel insoles/sandals for Plantar Fasciitis recovery.