Plantar Exercises to Treat Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar exercises should be part of your treatment regimen because fasciitis treatment is not a one size fits all. We highly recommend you talk to your podiatrist first before you embark on any plantar fasciitis treatment program. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, especially amongst athletes, soldiers, factory workers and over-weight, middle-aged people. It occurs when the plantar fascia, a flat band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes, is strained or bruised causing weakness, irritation and inflammation.

Regular plantar fasciitis stretches are a very important part of your treatment regimen to heal plantar fasciitis. There are many other natural treatment options including acupuncture, acupressure, foot massage, chiropractic and others. There are also surgery options but we consider those a last resort when all else fails. Of course, discuss any treatment regimen with your podiatrist before starting.

At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a foot stretch tool called the Step Stretch designed specifically to help with plantar fasciitis. You can also find the same exercise tool in the Plantar Fasciitis Kit which includes the Step Stretch, a plantar fasciitis night splint and a slip-on plantar support (arch support). Lastly, you will also find the Foot Wheel, a tool that you simply roll under your foot to put pressure on trigger points in your foot. Great for quick relief from plantar fasciitis. However, it shouldn’t be the only “tool” in your “heel pain cure kit!”

Remember this: Walking or running with plantar fasciitis without first stretching your injured foot is just re-injuring your foot and prolonging the pain. The same as when you first get out of bed in the morning without wearing a night splint.

Here are the stretches and exercise equipment we recommend based on my wife’s experience…

ALERT – New Stretch Specifically Created for Plantar Fasciitis

This is the first and most important stretch I want to tell you about.  The reason why is a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (of all places) showed that this stretch alone helped 75 percent of patients return to full activity within 3-6 months after the initial injury and required no further treatment.

Sit in a chair (or in the case of first thing in the morning, on the edge of your bed) with one leg crossed over the other. Stretch the arch of the foot by taking one hand and pulling the toes back towards the shin. Do this for a count of ten. Repeat the exercise ten times.

The exercise must be repeated at least three times per day and should be done first thing in the morning and before you get up after sitting for an extended period.

Calf and Achilles Stretch for Plantar Fasciitis

Remember to always warm up your foot before you do any plantar fasciitis stretches, especially if you’re planning any athletic or strenuous activity. Stand facing the wall. Place your palms on the wall approximately chest high and shoulder width. Move the injured heel back keeping your foot flat to the floor. Move the other leg forward and slowly lean toward the wall until you feel the calf muscles stretching. Hold for ten seconds and repeat ten times.

Plantar Fasciitis Heel Squat

This exercise starts by leaning forward against a counter top. Your feet should be spread apart at shoulder width with one foot in front of the other. Squat down. Keep your heels tight to the floor. Hold for ten seconds and relax. Repeat twenty times.

Incline Plantar Fasciitis Stretch

Take a book or a board and put it on the floor about two feet from the wall. Put the ball of your foot on the book or board. Place your hands against the wall at shoulder height and shoulder width. With your knee straight, lean into the wall keeping your hips and legs in a straight line. Lean in and hold for five seconds. Then do ten to twenty heel raises. Relax and repeat the exercise for a total of ten minutes. Do this with the knee slightly flexed for the same amount of time.

Towel Stretch for Plantar Fascia

Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and your feet pointing straight up. Loop a towel around the top of the injured foot. Slowly pull the towel towards you keeping your body straight. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds then relax – repeat 10 times.

Plantar Fasciitis Cold Pack Massage

This one is great if you want to try a little foot massage combined with pain relieving cold. Buy a can of tennis balls. Remove the balls. Fill the tennis ball can with water and freeze it. First, roll your bare foot around on one of the tennis balls for a few minutes. Then lay the frozen tennis can on the floor and roll forward and back with the bottom of your foot. This gives you both a foot massage and the pain easing cold.

Step Stretch exerciser for plantar fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis Foot Wheel

Plantar Fasciitis Foot Wheel

The Plantar Fasciitis Foot Wheel was specifically designed for quick relief of plantar fasciitis heel pain. I won’t say it doesn’t hurt to use it but it works fast. If you can take a little pressure pain on your foot, this will help.

Great times to use it are immediately upon getting out of bed, immediately after a run, or as soon as you get home from work. Roll your foot on it for several minutes and you should experience immediate relief. Just don’t rely on it solely as a panacea for the pain. You need to be wearing a plantar fasciitis night splint to bed or when you are sitting for long periods, stretching your foot three times a day, and wearing healthy men’s shoes or healthy women’s shoes. And if you’re a runner, we have a specific page of highly recommended healthy running shoes. To get by with your existing shoes, try plantar fasciitis insoles.