Since Plantar Fasciitis makes it impossible for tennis players to enjoy their favorite game, we’ve reviewed 8 of the best tennis shoes for Plantar Fasciitis. Grab the one that suits you and never stop playing again.
If you find a hard time finding supportive sandals for your Plantar Fasciitis, make sure you read this article.
8 best tennis shoes for Plantar Fasciitis
Asics Gel Resolution 5
Available for women and men
Most tennis players have played in or at least heard of the Resolution series. With a great reputation in the tennis world, the Resolution 5 is recommended by most foot doctors.
What makes the Resolution 5 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It’s very comfortable and offers the right amount of cushioning and arch support which helps relieve Plantar Fasciitis almost immediately.
- It makes it possible for Plantar Fasciitis sufferers to play tennis daily.
- It’s very stable and secures the ankles
One of the most popular tennis shoes on the market just got better, this is the Gel Resolution 5. Asics carries on the tradition of outstanding all-around performance in the Gel Resolution line while making a couple small improvements.
This tennis shoe has a sturdy construction. The upper of the shoe is now softer making it more comfortable with better fit right out of the box. It has been crafted from synthetic materials and breathable mesh that features Flexion Fit Technology that’s going to provide you with form-fitting comfort as well as all kinds of support.
The Resolution 5 benefits from Solyte material in the midsole that’s extremely lightweight and incredibly cushioned. The midsole has a dual-density DuoMax Support system positioned to enhance and support your stability. There’s a rearfoot and forefoot Gel cushioning system to absorb shock and allow for ease of movement.
Taking a look under the hood, this shoe features a removable insole that’s going to provide underfoot cushioning. It also features the IGS Technology (Impact Guidance System) designed to improve your gait. There’s also a hidden Trusstic System as well that’s going to reduce the weight of the shoe greatly while retaining structural integrity.
Compared to the last versions
This new update, much like its predecessors, performs well on the court and helps players move well in it offering a good level of stability and support. With the previous versions, the shoe narrowed pretty severely in the toe box creating a little bit of discomfort at the beginning. The Resolution 5 is much better and as soon as you put it on, it is very comfortable. Players haven’t had any issues with support and stability and the shoe provides the same performance on the court.
It’s more comfortable up in the toe box. The shoe fits better and players love the flex added in the forefoot. The wrap around the toe is a little bit thinner making the shoe flex better and feel faster on toe-off. There’s PGuard material in the toe area for added protection and durability. You have a nice padded collar and tongue as well.
The outsole of the shoe features a super sticky outsole enhanced with AHAR Rubber (Asics High Abrasion Rubber) for added durability and traction on the hard court. Again, the outsole is beefed up so you’re getting a little added durability compared to previous versions. What it also does is it raises you up of the ground a little bit more so this model feels a little bit higher profile compared to previous versions.
The updates are subtle but they’re noticeable. The upper is definitely softer and the shoe is more comfortable right out of the box.
Cons
For some players, the upper actually softens over time, and when making aggressive lateral cuts, they found their feet just sliding a little bit over the shoe.
Don’t be conflicted over your footwear choices, the Gel Resolution 5 is very comfortable and is a pleasure to wear on and off the court.
Related: Best running shoes for Plantar Fasciitis
New Balance MX608V4
Available for women and men
Probably one of the best New Balance shoes for Plantar Fasciitis. Recommended by most podiatrists, the MX608V4 has been approved by Medicare making it a great option if you are a diabetic.
- It’s comfortable and doesn’t bother Plantar Fasciitis sufferers.
- It has a memory foam insert (great for walking and standing).
- It has terrific lateral support and cushioning for impact absorption.
- It offers a decent level of arch support, but if you’re looking for greater arch support, we recommend you add PowerStep inserts (the shoe handles orthotics and special inserts without feeling cramped.)
These great looking shoes are available in different material and color combinations. This model is the Brown Camo Print and it’s made with durable man-made leather and that Camo canvas that goes all the way around in certain areas. The inside of the shoe provides generous cushioning and great plush dual-density padding around the collar and the tongue for comfort next to your skin. The collar is going to give you really soft cushioning and keep your feet feeling great all day long. The footbed offers extra cushioning and support and it is removable as well. It’s got some ABZORB Cushioning in the midfoot to give you added shock absorbency and comfort.
The midsole features EVA cushioning which really helps keep the weight down and give a nice performance. New Balance 608 has incredibly non-marking rugged rubber on the outsole that is very flexible yet very supportive.
It’s got a lace-up system designed to make sure your foot stays locked right into place. The shoe comes with a handy pull tab at the back for an easier on and off. It features oval-Shaped shoestrings which stay tied without having to double-knot them!
Get all the cushioning and performance you need with this boy from New Balance.
K-Swiss Bigshot Lite 2.5
Available for women and men
What makes the Bigshot 2.5 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It offers a decent level of arch support and accommodates all other inserts and orthotics comfortably.
- It features re-enforced Durawrap technology that makes sure you get extra support.
- It provides extra support on the medial side
Available for women and men, the K-Swiss continues to build on the success of the previous version. A lot of people liked the previous version because it was lightweight, comfortable and fast out there on the court. The Bigshot Lite 2.5 is even lighter, faster and more breathable as well.
Not a whole lot has changed. The upper features synthetic leather and mesh for breathability so your feet won’t get hot on the court. The re-enforced Durawrap technology provides added support as well as a line of defense for excessive toe draggers keeping the shoe sturdy during the toughest time on game day. You’re going to get that understated 5-stripe K-Swiss logo on the lateral side of the upper. The Bigshot features synthetic materials wrap over the upper with added extra protection of the medial side for you people that are aggressive out there on the court. The K-Swiss Flow Cool System is designed to increase the ventilation and breathability throughout the foot.
One small change to this update that K-Swiss did is actually on the K-Swiss 2 there are vertical perforations and on the 2.5 they are horizontal. What that does is it just enables the shoe to flex a little bit more naturally in the forefoot which is going to give a better step-in comfort and flexibility on the court.
It has a nice low profile midsole which is going to help you stay really connected to your movement. The midsole provides comfortable cushioning and durability with a midfoot structure that secures the arch for support in that area.
The Bigshot Lite 2.5 features a durable Aosta 7.0 rubber compound on the outsole and a modified herringbone tread pattern which is going to be great on any surface. The outsole includes DragGuard protection which is located in high-wear areas for abrasion resistance.
The Bigshot Lite is K-Swiss’ lightest performance shoe ever engineered to look like the Bigshot 2 but is lighter in weight and feel. For lightweight coverage on the court, you should try the Bigshot Lite by K-Swiss.
New Balance MC806 / WC806
Available for women and men
Go hard with confidence in the New balance MC806.
What makes the MC806 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It provides nice support to help keep inflammation from Plantar Fasciitis and heel spurs at bay.
- It provides great lateral traction and stopping power for quick direction changes.
- It feels solid and stable and works amazing with Superfeet Blue insoles.
The 806 is the latest in New Balance’s 800 series which has been a series that’s always been designed around maximum stability on the court. Not only do New Balance use their non-marking Ndurance durable rubber outsole and a long-wear drag tip with a full-leather upper, New Balance puts their medial and lateral side Rollbar in the heel which gives you maximum stability for lateral motion and also controls pronation when you’re moving on the court. The outsole is very flexible yet very stable. It’s going to give you tons of tread on a variety of surfaces.
This shoe has a rich full-grain leather upper that is smooth to the touch. It’s got plenty of perforated detailing on the outside for breathability as well and tons of stitching. It has a traditional lacing system for a secure fit.
It features that ABZORB cushioning in the midsole which is going to give you plenty of shock absorption especially in your heel. The midsole is also going to keep you feeling soft underfoot while the lightning-quick-dry liner helps wick moisture away from your foot all day.
The collar and the tongue are padded for extra comfort and support while the inside is lined with lightning-quick-dry which is going to wick away moisture and keep your feet dry and comfortable on the inside. The inside also features a padded footbed for comfort and extra support.
Available in many sizes and widths, the New Balance 806 is a quality shoe that offers great traction and protection in a fairly light design.
Adidas Barricade
Available for women and men
What makes the Barricade 2017 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It features Adiprene in the heel and the forefoot (great cushioning and stability).
- It has a 3D triangular chassis (provides great stability).
The Adidas Barricade 2017 is the latest entry in the Adidas Barricade line. This model has seen a lot of really nice updates. Adidas has been making the Barricade for a long time and probably the 2017 is technically the most advanced Barricade they’ve ever made.
The outsole still features the Adiwear 6, Adidas wear-resistant material, with a 6-month outsole warranty. The outsole offers great durability and traction for those of you who are really hard on their shoes. also continues the use of Adiprene in the heel and the forefoot which provides great responsive cushioning without sacrificing stability side to side.
The Barricade has a really nice knit upper which is probably the most supple upper they’ve ever put on a Barricade. This makes the shoe pretty easy to break-in. They’ve also made use of that new kind of 3D triangular chassis. It’s a thermoplastic piece that runs all the way around the side underneath and then up around the inside of the shoe as well. The concept with that is, again, to provide great stability without making the shoe stiff as a board.
Some of the older Barricades were a bit stiffer and required a bit more time to break in. The Barricade, again, is the easiest model Adidas has ever built to break in.
Technically, the Barricade 2017 is a medium width. It’s a little bit on the narrow side but not enough to say size up or anything like that. It is a snug, very sleek fit and it’s going to fit most people. It’s got a nice added tough detail on the inside for those of you who wear that part of the shoe. New Balance also added Geofit which is a sort of memory foam around the collar of the frame.
So the idea is to make a shoe that provides durability and stability while being comfortable right out of the box. You can see a lot of tour players wearing this as it’s suitable for a lot of playing levels up to the pros.
Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour
Available for women and men
What makes the Vapor 9.5 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It grabs the foot perfectly, flexes in all the right places and supports in all the right places especially the heel.
New shoe of choice for all-time great Roger Federer, this is the Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour. One of the most popular tennis shoes on the market is now lighter and faster than ever. The new seamless design has reduced the weight by almost half an ounce giving it a more comfortable faster feel. The Adaptive Fit technology still provides the perfect customizable fit every time you lace up to take the court.
The 9.5 carries on where the 9 left out offering a really nice blend of support in a very light and fast feeling shoe. You can really move around the court very well as the shoe grabs the foot perfectly, flexes in all the right places and supports in all the right places. No matter if you stay back on or behind the baseline to retrieve the shots, try to chase down the drop shots or maybe hit a drop shot back, you’ll love the way the Vapor locks your foot in and offers a really nice secure ride.
The level of cushioning is good and the forefoot is lower to the ground so you can really feel the court and move around very securely.
You’ll notice that out-of-the-box comfort right away when you slip it on your feet. Lace it up with that Adaptive Fit technology and you get a perfect fit every time. There’s plush cushioning all over the foot especially in the tongue where you’ll love having that extra bit of cushioning. Take it down onto the court and you’re going to enjoy that lightweight speed-oriented design, and it’s true this 9.5 is lighter and faster feeling than the ones before it. It’s a little more low profile in the design especially the upper which seems lighter and faster.
Some players say they used to have a fit issue with the Vapor 9 but not with the 9.5 which is ultra-comfortable and ultra-stable and supportive.
Cons
There’s one knock, unfortunately. As with the 9, the 9.5 still has a little lack of durability. Take the durability out if it and you get one of the best comfortable and supportive shoes on the market.
New Balance WC1005
Available for women
- It features mid-rise ankle support which prevents rolling of the ankle.
- It offers decent arch support and works great with any custom orthotic.
An update to the 1004, the New Balance 1005 provides a comfortable ride with the latest technologies and great ventilation with a mesh upper. The 1005 also features a 1-year outsole guarantee. New Balance uses Ndurance on the outsole and a long way drag tip for extra durability.
It features N-ERGY base cushioning which is a soft material at the forefoot and the heel to give you a great soft feel underfoot and really reduce the impact of the court surface on your feet. It’s so light and fast and offers plenty of grip to hook up and make those quick sprints and lateral cuts.
New Balance 1005 features the S-Curve stability system which joins the medial side of the heel to the lateral side of the forefoot. With this stability system, the 1005 is going to give you great lateral stability as you’re cutting and moving on the court.
The 1005 combines a lot of performance in a very lightweight package. New Balance has succeeded in making this update so light by using a lightweight synthetic mesh upper that’s super breathable. It’s available in multiple sizes and widths.
This is a great shoe to casually walk around in, even for a light hit because it is so lightweight and comfortable.
Cons
The thing that turned some players off is that the upper stretches quite a bit being that it’s so soft. So on lateral movements feet kind of slide around.
This update is really different from the 1000 series and feels much lighter weight. The previous models were more cushioned and plusher. In the 1005, the heel players feel the court a bit too much for their taste.
Prince T22
Available for women and men
What makes Price T22 good for Plantar Fasciitis
- It features a TPU strap in the forefoot (a custom fit and stability).
If you have a very wide foot, this is a good shoe for you that has a very wide toe box. A lot of people just switched to this shoe just because of that generous space offered in the toe box. It’s also a very lightweight and comfortable shoe that breaks in easily as soon as you put it on.
There’s a TPU strap in the forefoot which provides a custom fit and then also stabilizes the shoe very well. The Prince T22 has a PU sock liner that grabs onto the sock making it even more comfortable. The reason why it’s good to grab on the sock is that it won’t slip out from the back of the shoe.
The midsole is Prince’s Shock Eraser Midsole that really absorbs all the impact that you have when you’re on the tennis court. This helps reduce the impact on your bones and muscles and keep the shoe nice and comfortable for long matches.
In the forefoot, again, there’s a PU forefoot insert and what that does is it disperses the shock throughout the entire foot so it’s not concentrated at one spot taking some of the shock away from your joints, knees, and muscles.
The upper is injected with a wishbone TPU shank that improves stability so your foot doesn’t move around too much especially when you’re changing directions on the court.
The bottom features Prince’s 1000 series outsole which is very durable. It comes up very high and it’s very hard to wear down. It does come with a 6-month outsole guarantee, so if you put a whole in the shoe within six months, you send it back and you get a free pair from Prince.
