Heel Cups & Cushions
Fitted at the clinic with sizing checked against your measurements — never sold off the shelf without assessment. Available at Modern Physio, Vaishali Nagar, Jaipur.
| Product | Sizes | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Silicone Heel Cup Regular | S,M,L | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Silicone Heel Cup Premium | S,M,L | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Silicone Donut Cushion | S,M,L | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Strapped Heel Cup | S,M,L | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Heel Sore Preventer | Universal | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Lateral Heel Wedge | S,M,L | Enquire on WhatsApp |
| Correct Heel Cup - Regular | Universal | Enquire on WhatsApp |
Conditions This Helps
15 real patient reviews in our corpus mention the conditions this product line supports — read them on the condition pages above or on our patient reviews page.
A heel cup does one job well: it cushions the point of your heel that hurts when it hits the ground. For plantar fasciitis and general heel pain, that cushioning can make the first steps of the morning and a long day on your feet noticeably more bearable. What it does not do is treat the cause. A heel cup is an adjunct — a comfort measure that buys you tolerance while the actual treatment, usually a calf and plantar fascia stretching and loading programme, does the slower work.
We stock silicone heel cups in regular and premium densities, strapped heel cups that stay put inside loose footwear, silicone donut cushions that offload one tender spot, lateral heel wedges, and heel sore preventers for people who are bed-bound or recovering from surgery. Each solves a slightly different problem, and the difference matters. A donut cushion helps when there is a single painful point, such as a tender spot under the heel pad; a full cup helps when the whole heel strike hurts; a wedge changes the angle of the heel rather than cushioning it and should only be used on specific advice.
The honest framing, which we repeat in clinic every week: heel cushioning eases symptoms while you stand and walk, and the research behind cushioning and simple insoles is modest rather than dramatic. Plantar fasciitis that has gone on for months does not resolve because of a piece of silicone. It resolves — usually over months, not days — with load management, stretching, strengthening and sensible footwear, with the heel cup making the process more comfortable. If you are in Vaishali Nagar or anywhere in Jaipur, we would rather fit the right product to your actual foot at the clinic than have you cycle through three wrong ones from a chemist shelf.
Who This Helps
People with plantar fasciitis — sharp heel pain with the first steps in the morning or after sitting — who need day-to-day comfort while they work through a stretching and strengthening programme.
People whose work keeps them standing on hard floors for hours — shopkeepers, teachers, kitchen and factory staff — where repeated heel impact keeps symptoms stirred up.
Older adults with a thinning heel fat pad, where the natural cushioning under the heel has reduced and every step on tile or marble feels bruising.
Walkers and runners returning after a heel or calf problem, who want to reduce impact while they rebuild distance gradually.
People with one tender, localised spot under the heel — a donut cushion places the soft ring around the sore point so it never takes direct pressure.
Patients confined to bed after surgery or illness, where a heel sore preventer protects the skin of the heel from pressure damage — a different job from pain relief, and an important one.
What a Session Looks Like
- 1
A product-fitting visit at Modern Physio starts with a short history: where exactly the heel hurts, when it started, what makes it worse, what footwear you live in, and what you have already tried.
- 2
Dr. Surabhi or a team physiotherapist examines the foot — palpating the plantar fascia attachment, the heel pad and the Achilles insertion, and checking calf flexibility and ankle movement — to establish what is actually driving the pain.
- 3
We look at your footwear. A heel cup in a worn-out, unsupportive shoe is money half wasted; sometimes the shoe is the bigger problem, and we say so.
- 4
You trial the options in the correct size — regular versus premium silicone, strapped versus loose, donut versus full cup — and walk on hard flooring in the clinic so you can feel the difference under real load, not guess at it.
- 5
The cup is fitted into your own shoes, and we check it sits flat, does not slide, and does not crowd the forefoot. Fitting both shoes matters even when one heel hurts — a height difference between sides can irritate the knee or back.
- 6
You leave with the product plus the part that actually treats the problem: a short, specific home programme — typically calf and plantar fascia stretches and early loading work — with clear instructions on wear time and a review point.
Safety & Contraindications
This treatment is not suitable for everyone. Tell your physiotherapist about your full medical history — it is screened for at your first assessment.
- •Heel pain with fever, redness, warmth or swelling needs a doctor first, not a cushion — infection and inflammatory conditions must be ruled out.
- •Numbness or burning in the heel or sole suggests a nerve problem, and diabetes-related loss of sensation changes everything about foot care. If you have diabetes, any new foot pain or pressure area should be clinically assessed before you add or change an insole.
- •Pain after a fall, jump from height or accident may be a fracture — that needs imaging, not padding.
- •A lateral heel wedge deliberately tilts the heel and can worsen ankle or knee symptoms if used for the wrong problem. Use one only after assessment, not as a self-selected fix.
- •Heel cups add volume inside the shoe. In tight footwear they can crowd the toes and create new pressure points — the fitting has to consider the shoe, not just the heel.
- •Heel pain in a child or teenager is often a growth-plate issue (Sever’s disease) and should be assessed rather than self-managed with adult products.
- •If heel pain has persisted beyond a few weeks despite cushioning and sensible self-care, stop buying products and get assessed — persistent plantar heel pain has effective, structured treatment, and delay only prolongs it.
Expected Timeline
Comfort from a well-fitted heel cup is immediate or nearly so — that is the point of cushioning. If a cup does not feel better within the first few days of wear, it is the wrong product or the wrong diagnosis, and it is worth telling us rather than persevering out of politeness.
The underlying condition follows a slower clock. Plantar fasciitis commonly improves over weeks to months with consistent stretching, loading and load management; many people notice the morning pain easing first. We typically review at two to four weeks to check the programme is being done, progress it, and adjust the product if footwear or symptoms have changed.
If heel pain has not meaningfully shifted after six to eight weeks of genuine, consistent care, that is a reassessment point, not a signal to buy a different cushion. Options at that stage include a formal review of the diagnosis, a changed loading programme, taping, or onward referral where something beyond physiotherapy is needed. Persistent heel pain has a plan; it should not be managed by rotating products indefinitely.
Evidence Base
A Cochrane review of foot orthoses found some evidence that they can reduce foot pain in specific conditions, with generally modest effects — supporting their role as an adjunct rather than a standalone treatment.
Cochrane review CD006801 — Custom-made foot orthoses for the treatment of foot painNHS guidance for heel pain recommends simple self-care — rest from aggravating activity, supportive footwear, soft insoles or heel pads, and calf and plantar fascia stretching — and advises clinical review if pain persists.
NHS — Heel painNICE’s osteoarthritis guideline places therapeutic exercise and weight management at the core of managing lower-limb joint pain, with devices and aids positioned as adjuncts to active treatment — the same framing we apply to heel cushioning.
NICE guideline NG226 — Osteoarthritis in over 16sFrequently Asked Questions
Will a heel cup cure my plantar fasciitis?
No, and any product claiming to should be treated with suspicion. A heel cup reduces impact on the painful heel so standing and walking hurt less — genuine, useful relief. The condition itself settles through load management, calf and plantar fascia stretching, and progressive strengthening, usually over weeks to months. Think of the cup as making the recovery period comfortable, not shortening it on its own.
What is the difference between a silicone heel cup and a donut cushion?
A heel cup cradles and cushions the whole heel — right for pain across the heel strike, as in plantar fasciitis or a thinned fat pad. A donut cushion is a ring: the hole sits over one tender spot so that spot takes no direct pressure. If you can point to a single painful point with one finger, a donut design often suits; if the whole heel aches, a full cup does. We check exactly this at a fitting.
Should I wear heel cups in both shoes or just the painful side?
Both, almost always. A cushion raises the heel a few millimetres, and wearing one only on the painful side creates a small leg-length difference that can irritate the knee, hip or back over a full day. Our heel cups are supplied and fitted as pairs for this reason.
Can I just buy a heel cup from a chemist without seeing anyone?
You can, and for mild, recent heel pain a cushioned pad plus calf stretching is a reasonable first step. The case for a fitting visit is accuracy: heel pain has several causes — plantar fasciitis, fat pad problems, Achilles issues, nerve irritation — and they need different products and different exercises. Ten minutes of assessment routinely saves people from a drawer full of wrong purchases. If pain has lasted more than a few weeks, get it assessed.
How long do silicone heel cups last, and how do I look after them?
With daily wear, good-quality silicone typically keeps its cushioning for months before it compresses and firms up; when it no longer springs back, it has stopped doing its job. Wash them with mild soap and water, dry them fully away from direct heat, and move them between shoes rather than buying several pairs — they are designed to transfer.
My heel pain is worse first thing in the morning. Is that normal?
It is the classic pattern of plantar fasciitis — the fascia tightens overnight and the first steps stretch it sharply. A heel cup helps the daytime load but does nothing overnight; morning pain responds better to the stretching and loading programme, and sometimes to a simple before-getting-up routine we teach at the clinic. If morning pain is severe or not settling, book an assessment.
What do heel cups cost at Modern Physio, and how do I buy one?
Call or WhatsApp us on +91 82334 02489 for current product availability and fees — prices vary by type and size, so we do not publish a list. You can walk in during clinic hours (7 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm, all seven days) at Vaishali Nagar, and we recommend bringing the shoes you wear most so the fitting reflects real life.
Conditions We Treat With This
Products That Support This
Medically Reviewed
This content was reviewed for medical accuracy by Dr. Surabhi Bansal, BPT, MPT (Ortho) with 14+ years of clinical experience.
At Modern Physio, all medical content undergoes a thorough review process to ensure accuracy and alignment with current physiotherapy standards. Our content is created to educate and should not replace professional medical advice. Learn more about our review process.