Vive Foot Arch Support Brace Pair With Gel Pads For Plantar Fasciitis Relief Flat Feet And Fallen Arches Compression Strap Gray

First I have received no payment or product for this review. I don't usually leave reviews but feel I need to for this product as I can walk normally again. I've never had foot problems prior to this but walked 11+ miles one day around the city as I was supporting a family member running the Philly marathon. Shortly after that day my pain started.I started having significant heel pain (plantar fasciitis) and it wasn't getting any better. I am on my feet a good amount during the day and also walk a couple of miles each day easy. The pain was getting to the point that I could not walk normally and something needed to be done. I ordered the insole PF arch supports from the major US foot people. No luck there! I used them for less than a week as it made no difference at all. (Pro tip - If you go this route for the ones that offer a money back guarantee be sure to save your packaging esp. the UPC bar code. Without this you'll be out of luck trying to get your money back if they don't work for you. Ask me how I know...) Next I ordered one of the PF bundles on Dropy. Foot stretching adjustable splint, spikey ball, and arch support bands. From the research I was doing my hope was that the stretcher was going to be my ticket to being pain free. First the spikey ball just plain hurt to use. Tossed that thing to the dog! The foot splint didn't really help. I just can't sleep with that thing on my foot. I inevitably would tear it off in the middle of the night and just hobble around the next day. Since this kit also came with the arch support bands I figured I had nothing to lose so I gave them a try. This DID provide some relief so I started to wear it continuously. After a couple of weeks it started to stretch out and the arch support wasn't quite what I needed.I went back to Dropy and found the Vive Arch Support Brace bands. I can't stress enough how well these worked for me. I first tried the Large gel insert and that was too much for me. I shifted to the medium and that was perfect. I used this configuration for over a month and since I was feeling significantly better I stepped down to the Small gel insert. I used this for the next month or so and was seeing continual improvement. Improvement to the point where there were days where I wouldn't even think about my foot at all. I then started using the band with no insert at all and am now to the point where I use it depending on how much walking I'll be doing on any given day. I've even walked the dog (usually 2~3 miles) a couple of times this past week with no brace and no pain. I still try and stretch my foot each morning before I get going and that also helps at this point.I has been a 8+ month journey for me and I'm still not back to normal yet but this is a huge improvement from earlier this year where I felt like I would never be able to walk pain free again which was very demoralizing as I like to hike etc.I would recommend the Vive Arch Support Brace to anyone who is suffering with PF. I used these initially even during the summer walking around the house. I just put it on and then put a sock over it since going barefoot was so uncomfortable. Basically if I was on my feet I had this on my foot. I scaled it back stepping down from the Med. to the Sm. gel over the course of 4~6 weeks each and have gotten to today. I plan on still using it selectively and hope to have this beat in the next couple of months. Its been a journey but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Vive Arch Support Brace has held up well and I have had no issues using it fitting into sneakers, shoes, boots etc. One pair of sneakers I have are pretty snug and I was able to use these even with those. Actually my foot probably felt the best with these as it was so snug and supportive. I usually wash them off in the sink once a week so they don't get too gross but so far so good...Best of luck and if you give these a try hopefully they work as well for you as they did for me.

This is my second pair- I wore the first pair out after a year. They are a little tight at first but swiftly relax to a comfortable fit after a not many wears. They are the only thing I've found that helps with my arch pain at night.

Incredibly good piece

Replaced all my stock inserts with these, and the comfort level after a 12 hour on my feet day is well worth doing so regularly. Great worth and outlast any stock shoe/boot insert you get with new footwear. Have utilized these for years now, and could not get to town to obtain them when had to have - Dropy was delivered through on an overnight arrival at the same price I would pay locally. Use the previous insert for a cutting pattern and then carefully trim a bit at a time until you get a perfect match to the shoe. Its worth taking the time to do it correctly. Take it from an aged infantryman: If you walk mjore than 100 feet a day you need these!

These are a great alternative to orthotics, which I need to use to correct severe pronation in both my feet. Full-size orthotics are way to bulky to wear in most of my shoes, and even slender-fit ones just take up too much space and throw off the fit, making my shoes less cozy.I've tested quite a a couple of Pedag products and they're always high-quality and well-produced. I'm ordering another set in the next proportions down to see how they work out.What these are lacking, compared to orthotics, is any support for the rest of the foot or a heel cup to keep the foot stabilized. That said, I have been able to lift them out to adjust the placement, so you're not stuck with a position that doesn't work as long as you don't wear the shoes they're in for any length of time.I should add that I got a pair of the Pedag Balance arch supports and the arch support is too low to correct for pronation.I wear a women's 41/10.5 shoe and got these in size L. The arch is actually higher than that in any of my orthotics, which I appreciate as I need to apply arch boosters under my orthotics (I use Powerstep manufacturer) to lift the arch up for additional support.Unlike other stand-alone arch supports I've attempted, these blend into my shoes absolutely well. Once you set them and wear them for a day, they do not budge. I've currently got these in a pair of slingbacks that have sufficient coverage to hide the insert (Fly London Yala) as well as a pair of booties (Gentle Souls Bayco.)I wasn't able to use them in ballet flats as the arch is simply too high, making them visible over the side of the shoe. Still, in shoes with a pleasant footbed that have sufficient ankle support, I'd take these over an orthotic any day. Others have a "drop" where the arch support meets the footbed, which can be painful. These have a extremely gradual slope, so they conform to feel like a natural part of the shoe.They work properly in some shoes that a standard orthotic doesn't work in, and in shoes that already feet my feet nicely and thus become too tight/ill-fitting with an orthotic. They are kind of massive (height, width and lengthwise) in a good way as they fully support my feet. The adhesive in these things (am pleased with their other products) is hard as nails.