Best Kids’ Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain – Stay Away from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour!

Have you noticed your child walking and running differently? Has your child been complaining about heel pain? Along with varied orthopedic conditions, children’s foot problems often relate to the shoes on their feet and how they fit. I am going to show you a list of the best kids’ shoes for plantar fasciitis and heel pain based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.

I have helped hundreds of children who were dealing with heel pain, and I can help your child too. I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for the last 10 years, helping children with foot and leg issues.

Why Do My Child’s Heels Hurt?

The most common causes of heel pain in children are plantar fasciitis and sever’s disease.

Plantar fasciitis is often an overuse injury that is usually present in children who are involved in sports or high-impact activities. It also may trace back to abnormal foot mechanics or poor footwear choices.

Sever’s disease is also a disease of overuse, most often caused by playing sports or any activity that involves a lot of heel motion or impact.

Is Plantar Fasciitis Similar to Sever’s Disease?

With plantar fasciitis the pain is mostly felt at the beginning of the activity and then it goes away, while with Sever’s disease the pain intensifies with activity.

Something so simple as providing your child with the correct type of shoes can significantly reduce, or fully eliminate your child’s heel pain.

What Brands of Shoes Are Good for Plantar Fasciitis? – You Will Be Surprised!

Certain shoe brands are more consistent when it comes to manufacturing supportive and high-quality shoes for kids. Over the years I noticed how certain shoes are a lot more effective in helping treat and prevent heel pain.

Your kids’ shoes must provide targeted support to your child’s heels, so it’s important that the shoes come well-padded around that area.

Shoe Brands You Must Stay Away From

If your child complains about heel pain make sure that he/she is not wearing shoes from the following shoe brands.

  • Under Armour
  • Nike
  • Adidas
  • Reebok

All of these shoe brands manufacture shoes that are too flimsy and unsupportive.

Best Shoe Brands for Kids with Heel Pain

The shoe brands below are the most effective ones when it comes to treating and preventing heel pain:

  • New Balance
  • Saucony
  • Asics

This doesn’t mean that all shoes from New Balance, Saucony, and Asics are going to be effective in treating and preventing your child’s heel pain. Certain styles are more effective than others.

What Shoes Work Best for Heel Pain?

I know exactly which shoes provide better heel support than others from having fitted them before. However, don’t take my word for it, let me prove it to you!

Let me show you the difference in heel support between a shoe made by New Balance compared to a shoe made by Nike.

kids'-shoes-with-targeted-heel-support

In addition, if you press on the heel counter of the shoe, you will notice how must Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour shoes tend to be too soft and too flimsy. Below you can visualize where the heel counter of the shoe is located:

children's-shoes-with-heel-support

Most parents of children with plantar fasciitis worry about their kids’ heel pain. No parent wants to see their kids in pain, and in certain cases, the pain is so severe that it leads children to drop off activities and sports.

Is Plantar Fasciitis Common in Kids? – Let’s Find Out!

In my experience, heel pain in children is common and this is simply because of the very nature of their growing feet. In children, the heel bone is not yet fully developed until age 14 or older.

The fact that heel pain is common in children doesn’t mean that it should be left untreated. I always advise parents to not take the “wait and see approach” when it comes to treating their children’s foot conditions, as this can only lead to the condition getting worse. The earlier you start treating your child’s foot conditions the sooner your child will stop experiencing pain.

What Happens if Plantar Fasciitis is Left Untreated?

Plantar fasciitis will usually resolve by itself without treatment. People can speed up recovery and relieve pain with specific foot and calf stretches and exercises. For some people, plantar fasciitis becomes a chronic condition.

If left untreated, plantar fasciitis may become a chronic condition and can lead to your child experiencing general foot, knee, hip and back problems due to the way pain impacts normal walking patterns. When children experience heel pain they might change their walking gait to prevent putting too much pressure on their heels. The issue with this is that it leads children to put pressure on areas of their feet where they are not supposed to, and this usually leads to foot, knee, leg, and lower back pain.

How Do You Treat Plantar Fasciitis in Children? – Supportive Shoes!

The most effective way to treat heel pain in children is by wearing supportive shoes, and in certain cases heel cups. In my experience, a pair of good supportive shoes can significantly reduce, or fully eliminate the child’s heel pain. However, when the pain is more severe the child might need to wear a pair of heel cups inside of the shoes for extra support. I will expand on this shortly.

Shoes that come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure are always more effective in treating heel pain. Shoelaces help protect and support the child’s heels by pushing them against the back of the shoes.

Before I show you a selection of the best shoes for plantar fasciitis and heel pain, I want to make sure that you know your child’s exact foot size. You won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know your child’s foot size to begin with.

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape

I developed the most effective way to determine your child’s exact foot size from your home and will personally assist you with a custom fitting tailored to your child’s individual needs. This easy-to-follow method allows parents to accurately determine their child’s correct foot length and width, as well as instep height.

Now that you know your child’s foot size let’s take a look at the best shoe for kids with heel pain. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.

Best Shoes for Kids with Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain

The shoes I recommend below can fit children with medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW) feet. 

These shoes have proven to be the most effective ones for children with heel pain and they should significantly reduce or fully eliminate your child’s heel pain.

Does Your Child Have Narrow Feet?

If you have a child with narrow feet you need to choose from the selection below:

What Shoe Size You Should Order?

In each of the descriptions of the shoes, I indicate whether you need to order a half size or a whole size bigger than your child’s foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.

Get in Touch With Us for a Personalized Suggestion

Without a doubt, children’s shoe needs can vary depending on their age, activity level, and any specific foot conditions they may have. If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact us via email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are happy to help you find a different pair of shoes to prevent heel pain so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

If after trying the shoes I recommend your child’s heel pain persists, then I suggest that you try a heel cup inside of the shoes for extra support. I have fitted one specific heel cup that is the #1 Podiatrist recommended heel cup in the world. This heel cup will help treat and prevent your child’s heel pain.

How to Lace Shoes for Kids with Heel Pain? – The Most Effective Way!

I came up with the most effective way to lace shoes for kids with heel pain. This shoe-tying technique is effective in hugging the child’s feet and allows the child to get the most support out of the shoes.

You can learn more about this shoe lacing technique in a different article I wrote.

Can My Child Play Sports with Heel Pain?

When children experience heel pain it is recommended that they rest the heel as much as possible. However, for some children, this is simply not an option.

Children can continue to play sports as long as they are wearing cleats/sport shoes that are protecting and supporting their heels. It is also recommended that they wear heel cups inside of the shoes for extra support.

Some of the most common sports in which children experience heel pain are soccer, basketball, and football.

Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment in the comments section below if you have any further questions or concerns about your child’s heel pain.