Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I am someone who suffered from Plantar Fasciitis off and on for 3 years before my heel pain fully subsided. The following information is based off my own experience and research into what works best for plantar fasciitis. Jeremy

When most people talk about the plantar fasciitis sock – they’re talking about “The Strassburg Sock”, this funny looking thing stretches your feet and calf muscles in a way that helps manage pain and heal your plantar fasciitis.

Be warned, if you’re a light sleeper, or get frustrated by wearing socks to bed (my wife “would rather frostbite” than wear socks to sleep!), this is probably not the best product for you as it can be slightly uncomfortable.

If thats the case, scroll further down, I’ve covered a few more options that aren’t nearly as drastic but still have many of the same benefits and can be worn during the day instead of while you sleep.

The Strassburg Sock

The Strassburg sock is a longer sock that is equipped with a hook-and-loop strap that pulls the toes up to stretch the plantar fascia all during the night. The strap is adjustable for comfort. This sock replaces a night splint and yet provides the compression to reduce inflammation, while still letting your foot breathe. Many users claim that it is a major benefit for them. It allows for better sleep than a more cumbersome night splint.

How does it work?

People may end up trying many different pairs of plantar fasciitis socks over the course of their recovery. This post attempts to lessen that number and explain some of the reasons behind why you might want to choose one sock over the other.

To get started, let’s define plantar fascia. This is the connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, from your heel to just below your toes. It serves as a shock absorber for your feet, especially the arches of your feet. When this tissue is stressed due to over use it can get weaker. If you are a runner, the constant hitting of your feet on the ground can cause too much stress over time. Walking a lot, especially with shoes that do not give your foot enough support can cause over stressing. The fascia will get tears in it and get stretched out of position. This eventually causes pain, sometimes chronic pain.

When you begin suffering from this stretched out and over stressed condition wearing compression socks can help to repair the damage and relieve the plantar fasciitis heel pain. The sock adds extra support to the plantar fascia, giving it a little more rest. The sock does part of the work for it, giving it time to recover. The compression sock also helps to increase the blood-flow to the area. They are like having a steady massage on your painful feet. They keep your foot stable and aligned correctly. They can be worn all day and all night, unlike other devices.

How Plantar Fasciitis Socks Work

When blood leaves the heart, it is full of oxygen.

Gravity gets the oxygenated blood to other parts of the body, including the feet.

It is harder for your de-oxygenated blood to return to the heart.

It can pool in your feet.

Plantar fasciitis socks give a push or squeeze to help get the blood flowing back to the heart more easily.

This increases the oxygenated blood flowing back to your feet, helping them heal faster.

The socks are tight on your legs and feet to keep the plantar fascia slightly stretched and your feet aligned. The pressure on the fascia will relieve some of the pain. They can be worn for a long period of time, giving you more relief. When searching for good socks to use, make sure they provide good compression for the arch and the heel. This is the only way they will do you any good.

Feetures Elite Sock

These socks are designed to fit your feet snugly, giving you support in the arches and heel of your feet. They are also supposed to prevent blisters. They have a lot of cushioning, making them very comfortable for running. They are a no-show, low cut sock, if that is a preference. Feetures Elite Sock also comes in black.

Bitly Plantar Fasciitis Socks

Bitly’s Plantar Fasciitis Socks are designed to add support to the feet and relieve pain, by increasing blood flow to the feet. This helps the plantar facia to heal while you are still active. It also helps keep your feet in a neutral position. They come in a variety of sizes and the fabric keeps moisture away from your feet and they allow your feet to breath, so your shoes do not smell bad.

Sox Sport Plantar Fasciitis Compression Socks

The Sox Sport Socks come in multiple sizes, so you get an accurate fit. They contain fast drying fibers to prevent bacteria and fungus from growing. They promote blood flow and relieve the pain of the condition. This sock promotes support to the arches of the feet, which will help with recovery. Many people reported these were very helpful.

Thorlo Socks

Thorlo Socks have different socks for women (featured) and men. They are available in crew socks and tall socks. They have extra cushioning on the heels and balls of your feet. Many people like them for hiking and sports, because of the extra cushioning.

Summary

As you can see there are several different types and brands of plantar fasciitis socks that have aimed to alleviate heel pain from plantar fasciitis. You may want to try more than one brand, to see which one works best for you.

Different socks may work better in different situations as well. For instance, around home, I love pairing compression socks with my favorite pair of PF slippers for a relaxing experience.

If you feel that you are suffering from plantar fasciitis or you have been diagnosed with the condition, wearing the compression socks could help relieve your pain and will help speed your recovery.

Wearing the socks as often as possible, will increase the pain relief and lead to a faster complete healing. Wearing one version during the daytime and another at nighttime, will likely provide the best results, especially paired with the right footware and insoles.

References