Barefoot shoes and plantar fasciitis: can they help heel pain?

Plantar fasciopathy usually causes pain under the heel or along the arch. It is often strongest during the first steps after sleep or prolonged sitting and may worsen after long periods of standing, walking or running. A heel spur and plantar fasciopathy are not the same thing; a bony spur may be present without being the main source of pain.

What plantar fascia pain can feel like

Heel pain has several possible causes. The first aim is to reduce aggravating load and identify the activities or surfaces that make symptoms worse. Barefoot shoes are not an automatic treatment or a substitute for assessment.

What comes first during an acute flare

With marked pain, common guidance is to avoid barefoot walking on hard floors. A stable shoe with comfortable cushioning, a suitable insole or heel pad and a temporary reduction in walking may help. You can compare ANTAL models in ANTAL barefoot shoes, but during an acute flare tolerance and clinical advice matter more than a footwear label.

• Reduce the activity that reliably triggers pain.
• Use comfortable, stable footwear on hard surfaces.
• Adjust load according to symptoms during the day and the next morning.
• Use medicines, orthoses or other treatment as advised by a clinician.

What research says about minimalist footwear

Research does not show that barefoot walking alone cures plantar fasciopathy. A six-month trial in women with heel spurs tested a combination of a customised insole and flexible minimalist footwear; its outcome cannot be attributed to footwear alone or applied to everyone. The 2026 FRAMES study found improved foot strength after eight weeks of exercises with or without minimalist shoes, with no demonstrated balance improvement.

How to return to barefoot shoes more safely

For some people, minimalist footwear may become part of a later return to normal activity once pain settles. This does not mean stopping prescribed orthoses or moving onto hard surfaces overnight.

• Start with short periods on a predictable surface.
• Do not change footwear, walking volume and exercise intensity at the same time.
• If morning pain increases, return to the previous load.
• Adapt the transition to your diagnosis, work, sport and previous footwear.

Practical movement options are available in foot exercises. Follow your individual rehabilitation plan and monitor the next morning's response, not only how the activity feels at the time.

When heel pain needs assessment

Seek assessment for severe or worsening pain, repeated recurrence, tingling or numbness, pain after injury, or symptoms that limit normal activity. People with diabetes or reduced sensation should discuss foot pain with a clinician or podiatrist. NHS guidance also advises seeking help if self-care has not improved symptoms after about two weeks.

Sources: NHS — plantar fasciitis; randomised trial of an insole and minimalist footwear; the FRAMES study. NHS; 2022; FRAMES 2026.