As someone who knows the pain of plantar fasciitis all too well, I can attest to the importance of wearing the right shoes when playing pickleball.
For me, if I’m not wearing proper footwear then that hard court really causes me some heel pain and sometimes even foot cramps.
The key to finding comfortable shoes for your games is looking for something with good support, and that supports side to side movement (lateral support) – this means no running shoes!
Generally speaking, court shoes tend to be the best type of pickleball shoe because they are designed to give your foot proper support with all that side to side movement that you’ll be doing while playing.
If you’re looking for recommendations, I’ve found two great options for you to consider.
I suggest buying a pair of each and wearing them around the house to see how your feet feel and just returning the pair that doesn’t feel as good.
Our Picks: Best Pickleball Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
- Designed as a stability shoe for the short lateral and front/back movement required by the game.
- Structured support and comfort, enhanced cushioning and shock absorption.
- Generates smoother landings; Improves flexibility.
How We Selected These Shoes
The main things that we evaluated when looking for pickleball shoes that would be comfortable for people with plantar fasciitis are shoe support, stability, durability, and weight.
We knew that we needed to select shoes that are both good for playing pickleball and good for people who suffer from plantar fasciitis.
As a result, we can only recommend the shoes on this page to you as meeting our strict requirements.
Why Trust Us?
We take our recommendations seriously and strive to provide genuine and accurate advice. We do not accept free products, so you know our recommendations are based solely on our own independent research and testing.
Top Pick: K-Swiss Express Light Pickleball Shoe
Right now, this pickleball shoe from K-Swiss gets the Pickleball Zeal top pick for suffers of plantar fasciitis.
These days, there aren’t too many shoes that are specifically designed for pickleball, let alone a pickleball shoe that works for someone with plantar fasciitis.
- This shoe is designed as a stability shoe for the short lateral and front/back movement required by the game; It may take some time to adjust to the fit if you have been playing in a sneaker or neutral athletic shoe
- This shoe is designed as a stability shoe for the short lateral and front/back movement required by the game; It may take some time to adjust to the fit if you have been playing in a sneaker or neutral athletic shoe
What makes these K-Swiss shoes so freaking great for those of us with plantar fasciitis is that they feature a 180 degree thermal plastic Plantar Support Chassis that enhances mid-foot stability.
And the grip-factor is really great on these.
You notice it as soon as you put them on and take your first steps.
What we really like about these shoes:
- Great support for the part of your foot that really needs it when you have plantar fasciitis
- Designed specifically for pickleball, which mean great stability
- Works well for both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts
- Good grip and pretty good bounce
Overall, these are just really great shoes for pickleballers and are good for hard court or clay court playing surfaces.
And I don’t think you’ll need an insert with these, which makes them a great buy.
They were honestly very comfortable as soon as I put them on.
Runner-up: ASICS Women’s Gel-Rocket 9 Volleyball Shoes
Though technically a volleyball shoe, this is a great option for those who play on an indoor pickleball court.
However, these were not great for my feet because they felt a bit too hard compared to the K-Swiss shoes above.
- Molded-EVA midsole provide enhanced cushioning and shock absorption.
- Features a rear and forefoot GEL® Cushioning System that offers shock-absorbing support at toe-off and offers superior movement and support through the gait cycle.
- Designed with Trusstic System® Technology that reduces the weight without compromising the structural integrity of the shoe.
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So, the truth is that pretty much any of the ASICS Gel-Rocket volleyball shoes are a decent runner-up option for people with plantar fasciitis.
The reason that I didn’t pick the most recent ladies version, the 10s, is that I don’t have any direct experience with them (yet).
But I feel comfortable right now recommending the Gel-Rocket 7, Gel-Rocket 8, and Gel-Rocket 9 shoes for women who want something a bit firmer and cheaper than the K-Swiss shoe.
What we really like about these shoes:
- Good midsole support for your foot
- Nice stability
- Pretty good grip and bounce when on indoor courts
Just remember that these are volleyball shoes, which means that they are designed for use on indoor courts and not outdoor courts.
And, I didn’t find the grip to be quite as sticky as the K-Swiss.
The only benefit of these over the K-Swiss shoes above is that these are cheaper, so if you’re on a budget this is a great choice for you.
But do keep in mind my warning that these feel firmer than the K-Swiss pickleball shoes – personally, I can’t handle hard shoes with my plantar fasciitis.
Runner-up: ASICS Men’s Gel-Rocket 10 Indoor Court Shoes
Like the women’s model above, these shoes were technically made for indoor volleyball courts but they also work well for indoor pickleball matches.
- Trusstic System technology: Reduces the weight of the sole unit while retaining the structural integrity of the shoe.
- Heel wrap-up generates smoother landings:
- Flex grooves in the outsole: Improves flexibility.
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While I, personally, don’t wear men’s shoes, our male gear tester confirmed that the latest model of these shoes (the 10s) are great for plantar fasciitis suffers who play pickleball.
In fact, the men’s Gel-Rocket 10 shoe seems to have a bit more stability than the previous model, the Gel-Rocket 9 shoe.
What we really like about these shoes:
- Good midsole support for your foot
- Nice stability
- Pretty good grip and bounce when on indoor courts
The only benefit of these over the K-Swiss shoes above is that these are cheaper, so if you’re on a budget this is a great choice for you.
A Note About Orthotic Inserts For Pain Relief
One thing to keep in mind is that court shoes tend to have terrible arch support, which means that you’ll likely need to replace that insole with something that gives you better support.
This won’t always be true, but I want you to be prepared – just in case.
As someone with plantar fasciitis, you likely already have experience with needing inserts in your shoes that don’t have good support – but just in case you’re new to the pain of plantar fasciitis I did want to mention this.
- Immediately relieves plantar fasciitis heel pain from plantar fasciitis & heel spurs treating pain directly at the source. Prevents plantar fasciitis from coming back.
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For me, I find that the Dr. Scholl’s inserts offer the best support for my plantar fasciitis-prone feet, but try out a few brands to determine which works best for your feet.
Final Word
While you may be tempted to wear your favorite comfy running shoes on the pickleball court, it is important that you don’t do that because it could result in serious ankle injury.
Instead, opt for a shoe that is optimized for the side to side movement that comes with playing pickleball.
We recommend the shoe brands and models above for relief from plantar fasciitis, but there are likely other brands on the market that you can comfortably wear.