I developed moderate PF several years ago and what worked for me was MBT walking shoes. While they have a rocker sole they are nothing like the ill-fated Sketchers of the time which looked similar but functioned differently and were way over hyped as some sort of magic full body fitness miracle. The sole under the heel of the MBT is softer than the sole under the arch and toes providing a bit of a fulcrum under the arch. This provides a gentle heel down stretch with each step. I wore them as my general walking shoes and the pain improved within a couple of days and disappeared within a week and stayed away for extended periods, even after I quit wearing the shoes.

These shoes got a bad rep as some people were using them as running shoes and expecting some kind of miracle cure for everything that ails them. DON'T DO IT. The MBTs take some time to get used to and it would be easy to twist an ankle running in them. Be a bit careful going down stairs at first as well as it is really a different feel. If you treat these as a theraputic shoe for PF, they are great. An all around athletic shoe they are not. I keep mine in the closet in case I get a flare up.


As far as bike fit, I see riders get PF flare ups from too much ankling on the stroke and/or having the seat so high that they cannot keep their foot relatively level at the bottom of the stroke. Toes down might feel faster, but it really doesn't gain anything and sets you up for tendon/ligament problems.