7 Plantar Fasciitis Exercises That Relieve Pain

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that can cause a great deal of discomfort and pain, particularly when walking or standing for long periods of time. Fortunately, there are several exercises you can do to alleviate this pain and improve your overall foot health. In this article, I'll share with you seven effective plantar fasciitis exercises that you can do at home.

1. Plantar fascia stretch

Instructions

1. In a sitting position.
2. Place your foot on the opposite leg.
3. Grab your foot and pull your toes firmly towards your shin.
4. You should be able to feel the plantar fascia stretching at the bottom of your foot.
5. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise stretches the plantar fascia. It's an effective way of relieving pain and decreasing tension in the foot.

Notes

Perform the plantar fascia stretch at the beginning of the day before you get out of bed and after prolonged inactivity to decrease the pain you experience with your first steps.

2. Calf stretch with straight knee

Instructions

1. Stand facing a wall or a chair.
2. Step backward with the working leg, bending your front leg.
3. Ensure that your back leg is straight and that your heels stay on the ground.
4. Lean forward to feel a stretch in the Gastrocnemius muscle of the back leg.
5. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise stretches the longer calf muscle, the Gastrocnemius. Tight calf muscles can contribute to plantar fasciitis by increasing tension around the foot and by putting extra load on the plantar fascia. By performing the stretch regularly, you can relieve this tension, decreasing the load that's placed on the plantar fascia and relieving pain.

Notes

Perform the calf stretches at the beginning of the day and regularly throughout the day for the best results.

3. Calf stretch with bent knee

Instructions

1. Stand facing a wall or a chair.
2. Take a half step backward with the working leg.
3. Lower your body over your back leg.
4. Ensure that your heels stay on the ground.
5. Drive the knee of the back leg forward to feel a stretch in the Soleus muscle of the back leg.
6. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise stretches the deep calf muscle, the Soleus. Tight calf muscles can contribute to plantar fasciitis by increasing tension around the foot and by putting extra load on the plantar fascia. By performing the stretch regularly, you can relieve this tension, decreasing the load that's placed on the plantar fascia and relieving pain.

Notes

Many people overlook the bent knee calf stretch because it appears similar to the straight knee version. However, bending the knee shifts the focus of the stretch from the Gastrocnemius muscle to the deeper Soleus muscle. This makes it important to perform both straight knee and bent knee calf stretches, as they target different muscles.

4. Plantar fascia release

Instructions

1. In a sitting or standing position.
2. Roll the bottom of the affected foot firmly with a massage ball.
3. Be careful around sensitive points and don't roll into pain.
4. Roll for up to 5 minutes.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise releases tension in the plantar fascia, providing pain relief.

Notes

Perform the plantar fascia release at the beginning of the day before you get out of bed and after prolonged inactivity to decrease the pain you experience with your first steps. Be careful around sensitive points and decrease the pressure if you feel too much pain.

5. Calf release

Instructions

1. Sitting on the ground.
2. Place the massage ball under the calf of the affected foot.
3. Slowly press your weight into the ball and apply pressure.
4. Hold for up to 60 seconds at each point.
5. Take a deep breath and try to relax, feeling the tension in the calf muscle decreasing.
6. Repeat at the upper, middle, lower, inner and outer parts of the calf muscle.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise releases tension in the calf muscles, increases ankle mobility and relieves pain. Tight calf muscles can contribute to plantar fasciitis by increasing tension around the foot and by putting extra load on the plantar fascia.

Notes

Focus on your breath, try to relax the muscle as you feel the tension in the point decreasing.

6. Heel raises

Instructions

1. Perform the heel raises on a step with a single leg at a time.
2. Roll up a towel, put it on the step and place your toes over it.
3. With a straight knee,  raise your heel up so you're standing on your toes.
4. Hold the top position for 3 seconds before lowering your heel back in a controlled movement.
5. Complete 8-12 repetitions and repeat 3 times.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise strengthens the calf muscles and stretches the plantar fascia. This increases the capacity of the plantar fascia, making it more resistant to pain.

Notes

• It's important to focus on controlling the movement the whole time.
• You can perform the heel raises on any step, stair, or sturdy object.
• You can hold onto something for balance.
• It can be good to gradually increase the difficulty of the heel raises. You can use the following progression.

Heel raise progression

1. On the ground with both legs at the same time
2. On the ground with a single leg at a time
3. On a step with a single leg at a time
4. On a step with a single leg at a time, add weight with a backpack

7. Short foot

Instructions

1. In a sitting position.
2. Pull the ball of your foot back to the heel while keeping them in contact with the ground.
3. Hold for 5 seconds and release, repeat 10 times.
4. Focus on controlling the movement and feeling the intrinsic foot muscles working.

Why should I do this exercise?

This exercise strengthens the intrinsic muscles of the feet, decreasing load on the plantar fascia. Strengthening these muscles can relieve pain and improve overall foot health.

Notes

Some people find it challenging to perform the short foot exercise, and may not feel the intrinsic foot muscles working at first. This is because these muscles are often underused and need to be activated through targeted exercises. While it may take some practice to get the technique down, it's worth the effort to strengthen these muscles.

The most important part

Keep in mind, doing the exercises a few times won't guarantee immediate pain relief. You need to stay consistent and committed as it may take several weeks or even months of doing them to see significant improvement. For reference, research shows us that effective rehabilitation usually takes between three to six months.

Of course, it can be extremely challenging to stick to a rehabilitation program for that long. That's why we created the Euneo app. It keeps you accountable and creates a personalized rehabilitation program tailored to your condition and needs.

If you're ready to start a personalized rehabilitation program for plantar fasciitis, download the Euneo app today to get started.