Are pricey orthotic insoles worth it for heel pain?

For people with chronic heel pain, costly “custom” shoe inserts are probably a waste of money, a new research review suggests. Researchers found that pricey devices were generally no better than inexpensive store-bought inserts — or any other “conservative” treatment — when it came to managing plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the heel, due to irritation in the fibrous band of tissue that runs from the heel to the base of the toes.