Retrocalcaneal Bursitis(or RCB) is a common issue found among athletes who need to be constantly on their feet. To deal with the constant pain and manage your movements, you’ll need a pair of shoes that are supportive and comfortable.

This issue may sound serious due to its long, intimidating name but it does heal with time. Here are some of the symptoms that indicate you may be suffering from Retrocalcaneal Bursitis:

• Extreme pain and swelling in the heel area
• Softness when the heel is touched
• Stiffness in foot and limited foot movement
• Redness of skin surrounding the heel

If you have any or all these symptoms, it’s better to go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis. If you have RCB, you’ll need to follow all the recommended advice and find your feet a pair of supportive soles.

Let’s Talk Shoes

To find the best shoes for your condition, you would need to look through various options on the market, compare user opinions on them and check out a few for yourself. But to do all these requires time, money and lots of consideration. You might even end up worsening your pain. Fortunately, we’ve done all that work for you. We’ve made a list of the 6 best shoes to purchase when healing from RCB.

Here’s the list, a brief reasoning on why a shoe fits a category better and some additional information on Retrocalcaneal Bursitis.

1. New Balance 411V2

New Balance is a brand that promises to support its users in all their endeavors. Considering that support is what you’re looking for when dealing with Retrocalcaneal Bursitis, these shoes being on our list was a must.

The shoes are made of a mixture of suede and mesh with a leather upper and rubber outsoles. They’re available in 5 different colors and various sizes that support people with large and wide feet as well as narrow feet. The insole is thick which provides your feet with a height when walking. This lessens the pressure applied on your feet when you walk.

The rubber insoles on New Balance shoes are thick which puts your feet a considerable height above the ground. The height provides cushioning for your heel as well as your foot. Shoes are locked down by tightening shoelaces so the hold on your feet is strong. The eyelets on the shoes allow air to pass to prevent overheating. They are the right companions to make your feet relax and can be used by both men and women.

2. Vionic Walker

Vionic Walker is a well known name in the world of shoe-making. Their shoes are made to give you an extra height boost along with a comfortable walking experience. The materials used are selected for your comfort after much deliberation.

Let’s get into some specifics:

Vionic Walkers come in 18 colors so you can pick the one you like best. The outsoles are leather with suede upper. The insole is removable so you can take it out when the shoes need to be washed.

The outsole comes with a 5” elevation which adds height to your heel, relieving pressure on it when you walk. The shoe footbed is designed by podiatrists to ensure the right zones of your feet are relaxed during movement. The laces help keep your shoes secure to your feet and avoid slipping. For cases like RCB, these shoes relax your pain by putting the pressure in the right zones. Users have reported that their foot pain was relieved after using the shoes regularly. You can check them out yourself and see if that’s the case for you as well.

3. Brooks Glycerin 19

Brooks is always working to bring its customers newer, improved shoe models. The Brooks Glycerin 19 is a new rendition of their collection of shoes designed to provide support to runners. People with knee pain and conditions like Plantar Fasciitis have reported this shoe to be more supportive than the previous versions. Let’s look more into the Glycerin 19’s build.

The shoes are built for people with huge, small, narrow, as well as wide feet. If you’re worried about a fit, don’t be! Brooks definitely has a size that will fit you. The shoe has a firm, rubber sole that gives you a strong grip on the walking surface. Brooks aims to give you the maximum cushioning when walking. In fact, they say it themselves that these shoes are built for runners who have no qualms with a pillowy cushioning.

The engineered mesh upper enhances the fit of the shoes on your feet. The inner parts of the shoe are designed to stretch when you move so you get smooth transitions from heel to toe without any walking pain. If there’s one thing this shoe can guarantee you, it’s support.

The Brooks Glycerin 19 is a certified PDAC A5500 Diabetic shoe and has been granted the APMA Seal of Acceptance. It is ideal for cross training, road running, the gym and other activities. All of this while making you look fashionable with their wide color choices.

Overall Brooks Glycerin 19 provides your feet with colorful, supportive buddies available in various sizes.

Are the shoes machine washable?

Yes, the shoes are easy to clean, with their removable insoles which you can dry separately. You can use regular fabric soap to wash the shoes and it’s better to just hand wash them instead of machine washing.

Here’s a tip: don’t wash your shoes too often. They don’t need it! If you think the shoes are dirty, you can wipe them clean using cloth. Just washing them every two months or so should keep them clean without ruining the fabric.

Can these shoes be worn by men?

Although Brooks advertises their Glycerin 19 shoes as specifically women’s shoes, they can be used by both men and women. The shoes are available in multiple colors as well as designed for various foot sizes and shapes.

The availability of narrow, large feet sizes, along with wide, smaller feet sizes make these shoes compatible with all feet havers. There are so many color choices that you can pick any for your male friends or family members as well as female ones.

Are the shoes heavy to walk in?

The shoes have been said to be very light and comfortable by users. It’s important for these shoes to be lightweight as the main purpose for buying them is to get foot support. As someone with Retrocalcaneal Bursitis, you don’t want to drag around hefty, uncomfortable shoes all day long. This will worsen your condition and may even give you new foot pain.

Brooklyn shoes are lightweight and suitable for use in the gym, on the roads and for cross training. Their extra soft, pillowy cushioning keeps you comfortable while being agile.

4. Orthofeet Proven Heel and Foot Pain Relief

Orthofeet actually makes orthopedic footwear which focus on various foot issues. These shoes help with Plantar Fasciitis, foot pain, knee pain, bunions and more. I’ll list how these shoes help with these issues here as well. First let’s learn more about the shoe’s build.

The shoes have soft upper leather with a leather sole. The lockdown system is a velcro system with adjustable straps so it can fit a wide number of feet sizes. The shoe comes with an arch booster which can be inserted into the shoe if needed. The wide toe box allows more space at the front part of the shoe so you can feel comfortable wearing it.

However, the back of the shoe is why it provides such great foot support. The shoe has got air padding as well as extra foam padding on the interior which gives you superior heel cushioning.

The cushioning foam is breathable and made of anti-odor fabric which prevents your feet from smelling when you sweat. The shoes come with an adjustable arch booster and multiple cushioning layers that provide soft, pillow-like support that works wonders to enhance comfort and help ease pain on the foot and heel, all the way up your knees, hips and lower back. The non-binding, flexible uppers with extra foam padding and seam-free fabric interior eases pressure on the foot which helps with sensitive feet, neuropathy and arthritis.

Can someone with bunions wear these shoes?

Yes, the shoes are designed with a comfortable, non-binding fit for the front part of the foot and toes, and ease pressure on bunions, hammertoes, Morton’s Neuroma & swollen feet. Orthofeet has been dedicated to designing the best therapeutic features, and to offer the most comfortable shoes.

Are the shoes easy to clean?

The shoes have removable insoles which make them easy to clean and dry. You can take the insoles up and wash them separately while washing the shoes by hand. The velcro strap can be cleaned by a brush as cloth may get stuck on it.

Can kids wear these shoes?

The shoes are available in variable sizes, starting from tiny size 5 and going all the way up to size 12. There are wide and extra wide sizes available for people who prefer larger sizes. The shoes are so comfortable and designed specifically to provide the best cushioning, it can be worn by children, men and women alike.

Especially if you have any foot pain issues, these shoes are a great choice!

5. Gravity Defyer Proven Pain Relief G-Defy Mighty

If you’re looking for shoes that can be used regularly for exercises as well as casual usage, Gravity defyer might be the right fit for you. Users have reported these shoes have been a companion in their physical therapy and pain healing processes.

Gravity Defyer shoes have a synthetic sole and a lightweight PU core. This makes movement in the shoes effortless and painless. The shoes are designed with a wide toe box so there isn’t any stiffness when walking in the shoes. Foam cushioning and breathable mesh are used to keep the shoe’s interior comfortable. All these features work together to make Gravity Defyer an ideal companion for your feet.

These shoes are available in many colors and have a stylish, fresh design so you’ll look fashionable while relieving yourself of foot pain. They’re available in a wide range of sizes as well, perfect for narrow feet and wide feet as well as extra wide foot sizes. They provide structure and support to people with flat feet. The Front Rolling Design reduces foot stress by isolating 28 bones, 30 joints, and over 100 muscles from harm.

Each purchase includes Free Corrective Fit Orthotics that provide full-body alignment and perfect biomechanics. From all these features, Gravity Defyer seems like a promising choice for people suffering with retrocalcaneal bursitis. However, there have been complaints regarding the customer service provided by the store. This shouldn’t weigh very heavily on your shoe choices though.

Do these shoes control odor?

If you choose to wear shoes for a long time, it’s inevitable that you will sweat in them. And sweat brings bacteria that eat away at your skin to produce odor. Now that this disturbing fact is out of the way, the shoe lining is antimicrobial treated. This means it prevents the gathering of bacteria all around your foot and as a result, prevents bad odor!

How do the shoes help with foot pain?

The shoes are designed with Versoshock patented technology which relieves pain in the knees. The perforated finish makes the material breathable, providing ventilation and flexibility.

The foam cushioning inside the shoes along with the roomy toe box make these shoes suitable for relieving all kinds of foot pain. They are also built to structure and support flat feet.

6. KEEN Presidio II

KEEN Presidio Hiking shoes are designed to be versatile, fit for almost all purposes that shoes are supposed to serve. You can use their shoes for hiking, for crossing a river, for running and so on. They even have orthopedic sandals.

KEEN claims their products are 100% leather with a rubber sole. They source hides from Leather Working Group-certified tanneries that use processes to reduce chemical use and the impact on watersheds. So this sort of leather is more environmentally preferred. The shoes are available in various colors, giving the shoes a rustic, leathery look.

The sneaker-like fit of the shoes make them easy to put on while the lace lockdown technology keeps them secure on your feet. If you need to replace the laces after long term use, you can go to any KEEN store and purchase them separately. KEEN makes shoes with cushioned collars which reduces irritation and discomfort around the ankle area. Stress relief around the ankles is exactly what someone with retrocalcaneal bursitis needs so these shoes have got you covered in that area.

The shoe is designed with leather inside and has fabric on the outer sides. They make shoes for feet of all sizes and age ranges. There’s a collection for kids, for women and for men. Along with narrow and wide shoe sizes, these shoes also come with removable footbed that gives arch support to flat feet.

Do the shoes slip on smooth surfaces?

The rubber outsoles are designed to provide maximum traction on all surfaces. They will keep you stable even when strolling through a watery road.

The outsole of the shoes are designed to leave no traces on surfaces when walking indoors. So you won’t need to deal with streaks left behind by the rubber when walking on wood floors.

Are these shoes machine washable?

It’s advised to not wash these shoes in a machine or with soap and water as it may ruin the shoe’s skin. Instead just use a soft bristle brush or hand towel to remove loose dirt and debris from the leather.

You may need to use a leather cleaner to get rid of tough, lasting stains. Sometimes smudges or white lines need to be covered up by leather ink.

Can these shoes be used for rock climbing?

Yes, the shoes, as well as KEEN sandals are fit for rock climbing, hiking and regular exercise. The leather upper makes the shoes enduring and fit for rough usage.

The leather build may overheat your feet though. Also if you’re someone with retrocalcaneal bursitis or other foot pain conditions, it’s better if you don’t put too much pressure on your feet. Any kind of heavy exercise will put more stress on your heel than it can handle.

Choosing The Best Shoe For Retrocalcaneal Bursitis – Buying Guide

When shopping for shoes that will support you with your foot pain conditions, you need to keep several categories in mind. Select the pair that stands through all your quality tests and works best for you.

The shoe material

Shoes can be made of leather, rubber, fabric and so many other materials. Among these, usually leather and rubber shoes endure the test of time. KEEN Presidio and New Balance 411V2 may be the leathery foot friends that suit you best.

Fabric shoes are easier to clean and carry as they’ll usually weigh less. Be observant of the outsole material as well as rubber outsoles perform differently than leather or suede outsoles.

The arch support

For people with foot pain in general and for people with flat feet, a footbed with arch support is a fundamental need. A shoe with good arch support keeps all the zones in your feet relaxed and distributes the pressure equally. This reduces pain while moving and gives you time to heal.

Vionic Walker and Gravity Defyer shoes come with arch boosters that can be inserted into the shoes for arch support.

The lockdown system

Shoes with shoelace lock systems are usually more secure on your feet and don’t slip off once you’ve tied them. But for some people, especially kids, tying a shoelace might be a tedious job. So, they may prefer velcro lockdown system shoes.

If you prefer shoelaces, Brooks Glycerin 109 is designed with a firm shoelace tying system. If you’d rather not spend time tightening your laces, Orthofeet heel and foot relief shoes with their top tier velcro system are the shoes for you!

Aside from what you wear, you also need to maintain the other steps for curing Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. The bursa heals with time but to allow it to heal you’ll need to follow prescribed treatment. Here are some recommended steps to take better care of yourself when healing from Retrocalcaneal Bursitis:

• You’ll need plenty of rest. Limit the daily activities that require you to use your feet excessively. Activities like running, climbing, hiking should all be put on hold.
• Use cold pads or heat pads to get relief from pain.
• Use heel cups or foot padding in shoes so that the impact on your feet when walking is lessened. This will allow you to move around without feeling much pain.
• Try different recommended ankle stretching exercises so you can keep your ankle and foot flexible
• Wear looser shoes with open back heels. Absolutely avoid wearing tight shoes or shoes with tight, closed back heels as these will hurt you.
• In some extreme conditions, you can take a steroid injection. A needle will be injected directly into the bursa to reduce pain and swelling temporarily.

Conclusion

Retrocalcaneal bursitis is a common pain related issue that people, mostly athletes face. To recover from it, you’ll need to follow certain rules, exercise to stay agile, as well as maintain how much pressure you’re putting on your heel and ankle.

A good, supportive shoe is needed to maintain your recovery from rcb related injury. Hopefully this article helps you find a foot friend that supports you on your healing journey.

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