Heel Cup

Heel Cups are shock absorption devices that you place at the heel of your shoes to absorb shocks to your heels while you walk. They help to absorb heel pain, primarily from plantar fasciitis but also from other causes such as bruised heels or a short Achilles tendon.

Pain from heel strikes particularly affects those who spend a lot of time running, walking or playing sports that require running. These individuals may find the pain relief from heel cups particularly welcome. Some cups are made for patients and are designed for use during or after surgical procedures. Other types of heel cup are for use by patients who are confined to bed or a day chair.

Heel cups can be made from silicone or some other gel like substance with shock absorption properties.

The best heel cups will offer you some or all of the following features:

Slight elevation of the back of the cup to reduce pressure on your Achilles tendon.
Flexibility to be worn on either your left or right heel, depending on which side is causing you pain at any time;
A traction layer under the heel to keep it from sliding around under your heel, particularly when you are running or performing other athletically demanding activities.

As with most orthopedic products, it is important to make sure you get the correct cup size for your needs. Heel cup size is normally based on shoe size, so getting the correct size should be a  relatively simple matter.