This blog post contains exercises, stretches and strategies to fix Plantar Fasciitis.

In This Blog Post:

• What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
• Symptoms
• Causes
• Test
• Exercises To Fix Plantar Fasciitis

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is a painful foot condition which is characterized by having pain underneath the heel.

This condition involves the inflammation of a soft tissue structure (called the Plantar Fascia) where it inserts into the heel bone (Calcaneus).

It can be associated with a heel spur (bony growth underneath the heel).

Symptoms

The symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis include:

Causes

Inflammation occurs in the Plantar Fascia when this structure is strained beyond what it can normally tolerate.

This is associated with:

Test

Here are the main ways to determine if you have Plantar Fasciitis.

a) Painful To Touch

Instructions:

• Press firmly into the region underneath the heel.

(Note: If you press too lightly, you may not reproduce the pain in the heel. Press firmly!)

b) Get A Scan

An ultrasound scan to the heel region will be able to determine if you have inflammation (and/or structural changes) in the Plantar Fascia.

Exercises To Fix Plantar Fasciitis

• STEP 1: Reduce Activity
• STEP 2: Provide Cushion
• STEP 3: Reduce Inflammation
• STEP 4: Gentle Movements
• STEP 5: Releases
• STEP 6: Stretches
• STEP 7: Strengthening Exercises
• STEP 8: Address Over Pronation
• STEP 9: Address Ankle Stiffness

1. Reduce Aggravating Activities

The first step when addressing Plantar Fasciitis is to eliminate, reduce exposure to or modify the activities that aggravate the heel pain.

Poor adherence with this first step will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the exercises and strategies offered in this blog post.

This may involve addressing:

In severe cases – some of you may need to consider using a walking stick to take pressure off the heel. (Keep in mind, I would only recommend to use it in the short term.)

2. Provide Cushion

In the early stages of addressing Plantar Fasciitis, it is highly recommended to provide an adequate amount cushion around the heel region.

This is important as it will reduce the amount of compression on the injured structures underneath the heel and thus minimize ongoing aggravation.

(Note: Once the pain in the heel has completely resolved and you have developed a good amount of strength in the foot, consider reducing the amount of cushion around the heel to build resilience in the foot. Keep in mind, this will likely take some time to get to this stage.)

Shoe Wear

Wear a shoe that provides a decent amount of cushioning in the heel region.

In terms of what shoe is best for you – this is something that you will need to try out yourself.

Gel Inserts

You can place gel inserts in your shoe to provide additional cushion.

Avoid Walking Bare Foot

Make sure to have indoor shoes and/or slippers when walking in the house.

This is especially important if you have hard floor surfaces such as tiles and wooden floor boards.

3. Reduce Inflammation

A significant amount of inflammation underneath the heel can make it too painful to perform exercises suggested on this blog post.

Here are some ways to address the inflammation:

Anti-Inflammatory Gel

Apply the anti-inflammatory gel to the painful area underneath the heel.

Do this 2-3 times per day.

(I prefer products with natural active ingredients like arnica, calendula or hypericum.)

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

It is recommended that you take a strong anti-inflammatory medication for at least 7-10 days.

(Note: Please consult your primary care provider before taking any new medication.)

Cold Therapy

Apply an ice pack underneath your heel for at least 10-15 minutes.

Do this 3-5 times per day.

(Note: Do NOT place the ice pack directly onto your skin as this may cause an ice burn.)

Once the acute pain has settled, consider switching to heat application to promote blood circulation and muscle relaxation.

Natural Products

Taking turmeric and/or fish oil capsules are natural ways to help reduce the inflammation.

Cortisone Injection

This involves injecting a steroid and an analgesic substance into the region of the Plantar Fascia.

The goal of this injection is to reduce the amount of pain and inflammation in the heel.

For more information:

See Post: Cortisone Injection

(In my opinion – I tend to recommend avoiding the cortisone injection if possible. It is possible to reduce inflammation by implementing the previously suggested steps.)

4. Gentle Movements

Keep the foot moving as much as possible!

This will help improve circulation, reduce stiffness and minimize strength loss.

Perform this gentle foot movement several times throughout the day (especially first thing in the morning).

Ankle Circles

Instructions:

• Rotate your ankle in a circular direction.
• Make sure to move your ankle in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.
• Do this for 1 minute in each direction.

5. Releases

Performing the following releases can help to reduce tension in the structures underneath the foot.

(Note: If there is an excessive amount of inflammation underneath the heel, you may need to consider skipping this step for now.)

a) Ball Roll

Instructions:

• Stand up right.
• Place your foot on top of a massage ball.
• Apply a firm amount of pressure on top of the massage ball.
• Roll your foot on top of the ball.
• Continue for 2-5 minutes.

b) Calf

Instructions:

• Sit down on the floor with your legs straightened in front of you.
• Place a foam roller underneath the calf region of the leg you are targeting.
• Place your other leg on top of the leg that is in contact with the foam roller.
• Relax the bottom leg completely.
• Apply a downward pressure with the top leg.
• Move the bottom leg from side-to-side.
• Make sure to cover the entire calf region.
• Continue for 2 minutes.

6. Stretches

Stretches can help reduce tension in tight structures which may be contributing to the heel pain.

a) Gastrocnemius Stretch

Instructions:

• Sit down on the floor.
• Loop a towel around the forefoot.
• Keep your knee completely straight by pushing the knee down.
• Pull the towel with your hands.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Perform 3 times.

For more stretches to this muscle:

See Post: Gastrocnemius Stretches

b) Soleus Stretch

Instructions:

• Sit down on a chair.
• Slide your heel all the way backwards.
• Make sure to keep your foot completely flat on the floor.
• Shift your bodyweight onto this leg.
• Move your knee forwards.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.
• Perform 3 times.

For more stretches to this muscle:

See Post: Soleus Stretches

c) Plantar Fascia Stretch

(Note: Only perform this stretch if it does not make the heel pain worse! If it makes your symptoms worse, you may need consider introducing this stretch at a later phase in the rehabilitation.)

Instructions:

• Kneel down on the floor.
• Make sure that the toes are bent backwards.
• Shift your body weight on top of your toes and forefoot.
• Aim to feel a stretch underneath the foot.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Perform 3 times.

(Note: Be careful with this stretch if you have issues with kneeling. If this position is uncomfortable, you can place padding underneath the knees.)

d) Midfoot Stretch

Instructions:

• Assume a forward lunge position.
  • The foot in the front will be targeted.
• Lean most of your body weight on top of the base of the big toe joint.
• There should be a minimal amount of weight on the heel.
• Relax your foot.
• Aim to feel a firm stretch underneath the foot.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.

7. Strengthening Exercises

Performing foot strengthening exercises can help build resilience in the structures underneath the feet.

These exercises can help your foot tolerate more load.

a) Toe Scrunches

Instructions:

• Sit down on a chair.
• Scrunch your toes.
• Aim to feel a firm muscular contraction underneath your foot.
• Hold for 3-5 seconds.
• Perform 30 repetitions.

(Note: Don’t scrunch your toes to the point of getting a cramp!)

b) Heel Raises

Instructions:

• Stand on the edge of a step with the heels off the edge.
• Hold onto something for balance.
• Raise your heels.
• Slowly lower your heels.
• Perform 30 repetitions.
• Progression:
  • Place more body weight on the injured side.
  • Perform a single leg heel raise.

c) Toe Control

Instructions:

• Position 1: Lift the big toe whilst pushing the other 4 toes into the ground.
• Position 2: Push your big toe into the ground whilst lifting the other 4 toes.
• Transition smoothly between these 2 positions.
• Keep your foot still. Your toes should be the only thing that is moving.
• Repeat 30 times.

8. Address Over pronation

If your heel pain is experienced more towards the inner side of the heel, you may benefit from addressing over pronation of the foot.

Over pronation is where the ankle and foot excessively rolls inwards.

This movement increases the amount of contact of the inside edge of the heel to the floor during walking.

For a comprehensive guide to address this issue:

See Post: Flat Feet Exercises

(Keep in mind – Your ankle can still roll inwards even if you have high arches in the mid foot.)

To help minimize the inward collapse of the heel, perform the following exercise:

Short Foot Exercise

(This aim of this exercise is to strengthen the foot muscles responsible for maintaining the foot arch.)

Instructions:

• Stand with your feet facing forwards and shoulder width apart.
• Whilst keeping your toes relaxed, proceed to scrunch the under-surface of your foot.
  • Drag the base of your big toe backwards towards the heel.
• Keep the base of the big toe in contact with the ground to prevent this area from lifting.
• Gently push the tip of your big toe down onto the ground.
• If performed correctly, you should be able to feel the strong contraction of the muscles underneath your foot.
• Hold this for 5 seconds.
• Repeat 20 times.

9. stiff Ankle

If you have stiff ankles, it is likely that you have limitations in the amount of dorsiflexion in the ankle.

Ankle Dorsiflexion is the movement where the foot bends backwards towards the shin bone. (see above)

If you lack this movement during walking, this can cause the ankle to roll inwards which can increase exposure of the inner heel to the ground.

For a comprehensive guide to address this issue:

See Post: Ankle Dorsiflexion

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Conclusion

Plantar Fasciitis can be fixed by following the suggested exercises on this blog post.

In the initial stages, the most important step is to not aggravate the heel pain.

For most people – It will likely take more than 12 weeks to recover.

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Disclaimer: The content presented on this blog post is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of the content provided on this blog post is at your sole risk. Seek guidance from a healthcare professional before starting any exercise or implementing any recommendation. For more information: Medical Disclaimer.