Plantar fasciitis stops runners. Not slows them down — stops them. The stabbing heel pain when you take your first steps in the morning, the ache that builds through a run and lingers for days after. It's the most common running injury, affecting roughly 2 million people in the US every year. The right shoe won't cure plantar fasciitis. But the wrong shoe absolutely makes it worse — and the right one can make the difference between staying in your running routine and being sidelined for months.