You are correct. The only way to get out of PF valley is by building foot strength. I learned the hard way that mega-squishy hoka bondis are counter-productive

You are correct. The only way to get out of PF valley is by building foot strength. I learned the hard way that mega-squishy hoka bondis are counter-productive to that because of how much cushion they have. That said, proper insoles are the lowest-effort, cheapest means of mitigation.