Having plantar fasciitis is no fun. It’s painful every morning when you first wake up and after sitting for long periods of time. It hurts when we run, and depending on how bad it is, can even hurt us while we stand or walk. For some people, it hurts the arch of their feet as well. For those that don’t know, plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel all the way to the muscles surrounding the bones of the toes. Plantar fasciitis typically pops up in people whose feet are exposed to long periods of weight-bearing, or those with a high BMI.

Sometimes, it seems like there is no relief in sight. Rest, massage, and ice will provide relief, but there is no permanent fix. Even surgery is not guaranteed to work. So what can we do? Tennis ball massages and picking up towels with our toes can only be done for so long before we have to go to work, or go out for a run. Fortunately, the good people at Feetures! have come out with a foot sleeve intended to help relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

Behold! The Feetures! Plantar Fasciitis Sleeve! Also available in white.

In their own words: “Our compression foot sleeve uses patent pending FS6 technology to lift and stabilize the plantar fascia and improve circulation in the affected area to provide relief from painful plantar fasciitis symptoms. Easy to slip on, easy to slip off. Can be worn comfortably under socks when active for extra support. Can be worn while sleeping to reduce morning heel pain. Finally, an effective and convenient way to relieve Plantar Fasciitis symptoms.”

To summarize: it reduces pain and swelling, and can be worn whenever.

Since I do have plantar fasciitis, I wanted to try it out. As soon as I put it on, I felt immediate relief; it still hurt a bit, but not nearly as much as it used to. I wore it for a few days around the shop, and my foot still felt much better, even after I got used to wearing it. There was also noticeable relief every morning when I woke up. I decided to test it a bit further and wore it during my most recent endurance event, the San Diego Comic Con. Yes, I like bikes AND comic books. Nothing wrong with that.

Moving on.

Even through all the walking, standing, sprinting, line waiting, and heavy stuff carrying I went through during those 4 days in San Diego, my foot felt amazing. The results were even better when I wore the sleeve after giving myself a foot massage with a tennis ball when I got back to the hotel room. My feet felt significantly better than they had on the last day after all the years I have been attending the convention. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been to 7 Comic Cons. My feet were killing me at the end of each of them. This time was much different, and much better.

To make sure that the relief wasn’t just in my head, I went for the past two days without wearing the sleeve. Yes, my foot hurts in the morning. Yes, I regret my decision. Yes, I will be going back to wearing it tomorrow.

The sleeves are available at our Redondo Beach and they can also be purchased on our website. If you have plantar fasciitis in both feet, the sleeves are available in 2-packs as well.