The recently published parallel, three-arm, randomised, blind, controlled study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders journals found  custom foot orthoses to be effective in treating first-step pain in individuals with plantar fasciopathy over a period of 12 weeks.

There is lack of data evaluating the efficacy of custom designed foot orthoses, and also of the shoe the foot orthoses are placed into. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of custom foot orthoses and new athletic foot wear on first-step, pain after 24 hours and plantar fascia thickness over 12 weeks.  60 patients were categorized into three groups; orthoses group which received new shoes with custom foot orthoses; shoe group received new shoes with a sham insole and control group received sham insole in their regular used shoes. The visual analog scale (VAS) for first-step pain was reported as the primary outcome and an ultrasound for 24 h pain along with plantar fascia thickness was taken as secondary outcomes.  The assessment of outcomes was done at baseline, 4th and 12th week. 

The orthoses group presented reduced first-step pain as compared to control group at 4th week  (p = 0.002) and as compared to both shoe (p = < 0.001) and sham group (p = 0.01) at 12th week. Further, as compared to the control group, orthoses (p = < 0.001) and shoe group (p = 0.006) both resulted in less 24-h pain at both 4th and 12th week. However, only the orthoses group exhibited decreased plantar fascia thickness. All the results reflected that the custom foot orthoses are useful in reducing foot pain and  plantar fascia thickness as compared to the sham approach or new shoes alone.