Arch Support Insoles for Plantar Fasciitis: Do They Work?
I dropped these support inserts into my size 11 shoes over the soles already in there. Flexible, high arch, extra padding at the ball of the foot.
Reviewed by
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
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There’s one spot on my left foot that’s been bothering me, right on the ball, feeling rubbed a little bit raw from the padding I’ve been using. So when I pulled the Arch Support Insert Women Men Plantar Fasciitis Insoles Standing out of the package, the first thing I looked for was that raised pad. It’s right there. An extra padded spot sitting exactly on the ball area of your foot.
Quick Verdict
My left foot has been getting rubbed a little bit raw in one spot, and that’s exactly where the extra pad on these sits. Slid them into size 11 shoes over the soles already in there, and they didn’t feel unnatural at all. Lots of arch support, and I think this is going to help out tremendously.
Buy if you:
- Have a sore spot under the ball of your foot that’s getting rubbed raw
- Stand all day on concrete in work boots or sneakers
- Want real arch support without a rock-hard plastic insole
- Need to trim to fit a narrow or wide foot
Skip if you:
- Don’t want to fuss with sizing. Mine came listed as medium and you still have to pick the right arch height plus size for your shoe before it works
- Already have a tight shoe. I stacked these on top of the factory soles, and that only works if you have room
- Want a flat cushion insert. These have a lot of arch under them
| Arch heights | 3 (low, medium, high) |
|---|---|
| Sizes | 5, trimmable |
| Package dimensions | 12 x 4 x 1.3 in |
| Weight | 5.61 oz |
| Best for | Work boots, sneakers, casual shoes |
The Sore Spot on My Left Foot
Mine came listed as medium arch. Flip them over and the bottoms have a shaped, ribbed look to them. Pretty flexible overall. They’re not like real hard, which was my worry, because a stiff shell under a sore foot is just a different kind of pain.
But you are going to have a lot of arch support. That’s not subtle. If you’ve been walking on a flat foam insert for years, these support inserts will feel like something is pushing up in there, because something is.
Getting Them Into the Shoe
They slid right into my size 11 shoes and I didn’t pull anything out first. My shoes came with their own soles, and I left them in there. That gets you just a little extra padding, if you will, and then these go right on top.
Worth knowing: that only works if your shoe has the headroom. A snug boot might need the factory sole out. Obviously, you got to get the right size for your foot and your shoe first, and that’s the step people rush. There are 5 trimmable sizes and 3 arch heights on this listing, so you’re picking twice, not once. Get it wrong and the arch lands in the wrong place and you’ll hate them.
Once they were in, I forgot about them, and that’s the whole test. The arch is aggressive enough that I expected to feel it pushing back with every step; instead it just held the foot in place. If an insert makes you walk differently on purpose, it’s wrong. These didn’t.
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What Owning Them Actually Costs You
The real ongoing cost is replacement, not cleaning. These are a foam-and-support build at 5.61 oz for the pair, and anything you stand on all day compresses eventually. The extra ball pad is the part I’d expect to flatten first, since it’s the piece taking the direct pressure.
Because they’re trimmable, the trim is one-way. Cut too much and that pair is done, so trace the old insole and shave a little at a time. I’d also pull them out to air between long days rather than leaving them sealed in a work boot overnight.
One more thing on timing. Right now these sit a little above where they’ve typically been over the last three months, and they’re moving slower than they were, ranked #57,463 in Health & Household against a 90 day average of #38,169. That’s not a reason to avoid them. It just means today isn’t the bargain day, so check the live price at the link before you pull the trigger.
For my specific problem, the raw spot under the ball of my left foot, I think these are going to help out tremendously. The padding is in exactly the right place, and the arch is doing work my old insert wasn’t. That’s the case where I’d say yes without hedging.
What I can’t tell you is how the ball pad holds up after thirty days of standing on concrete, that’s the piece taking direct pressure, and foam compresses. What I can tell you is that the arch is legitimately aggressive, not a gentle suggestion, which is exactly what plantar fasciitis actually needs. Pull them out to air overnight; don’t leave them sealed in a work boot.
If the ball of your foot is the problem and you’re staring down a $400 orthotics bill, these are worth the trial first, the pad lands in exactly the right spot and the arch is real, not decorative. Just get the size and arch height right before you trim anything. Check the current price here.
Pros
- Extra padded spot sits right on the ball of the foot
- Pretty flexible, not a hard plastic shell
- Serious arch support
- Slid right into size 11 shoes and felt comfortable immediately
- Didn’t feel unnatural in the shoe
Cons
- Sizing is a two-step guess: size plus arch height, and you have to get both right
- Stacking over factory soles only works if your shoe has the room
- Trimming is permanent, so a bad cut wastes the pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these work in work boots as well as sneakers?
Yes, the listing covers work boots, sneakers and casual shoes. I used mine in sneakers. Boots usually have a deeper footbed, so you may be able to stack over the factory insole there too.
How do I pick between low, medium and high arch?
Match it to your own foot, not your shoe size. Flat feet lean low, high arches lean high, and medium is the safe middle. Mine were listed as medium and the support still felt substantial.
Can I move one pair between multiple shoes?
You can, but it’s a hassle once they’re trimmed to one shoe’s shape. If you rotate between work boots and sneakers daily, buying two pairs saves you pulling them in and out every morning.
Will they make my shoes feel tight?
They can if you leave the original soles in like I did. That adds height on top of height. If your shoes are already snug, pull the factory sole out before you add these.
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Arch Support Plantar Fasciitis Insoles
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About the reviewer
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
