4 Simple Exercises to Help Heal Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can be a painful and frustrating condition, but there are several simple exercises that can help alleviate your discomfort and promote healing. These exercises target the muscles and tissues in your feet and calves, which play a crucial role in plantar fasciitis treatment. Incorporating them into your daily routine can make a significant difference in your recovery.

1. Roll your foot on a massage ball

One of the easiest and most effective exercises for relieving plantar fasciitis pain is rolling your foot on a massage ball. This simple self-massage technique helps to break up adhesions in the plantar fascia, improve blood circulation, and reduce tension in the foot muscles. Plus, it feels really great!

Here's how to do it:

1. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the ground

2. Place a massage ball like the one found in our plantar fasciitis treatment kit under the affected foot

3. Apply gentle pressure and roll the ball back and forth from your heel to the base of your toes. Check out this video to see exactly where to roll the ball, and where to avoid!

4. Focus on any areas that feel particularly tight or painful

5. Perform this exercise for about 10 minutes, twice a day 

2. Stretch your calves

Tight calf muscles can contribute to plantar fasciitis by placing extra stress on the plantar fascia. It might not seem intuitive, but loosening the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus in particular) is a great way to help relieve foot pain. 

To stretch your calves effectively, try the following exercises:

1. Stand facing a wall, with your hands pressed against it

2. Step one foot back and keep it straight, while bending your front knee

3. Lean forward slightly, feeling the stretch in your back calf

4. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds, and then switch to the other leg

5. Repeat this stretch 3 times a day if possible 

3. Strengthening your calves

Strengthening the muscles in your calves can help encourage better tissue integrity and ongoing relief for your plantar fascia. Start with basic calf raises and gradually increase the intensity as your strength improves. 

Here’s a great strengthening exercise:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart

2. Rise onto your toes as high as you can, hold this for a few seconds, then slowly lower your heels back down

3. Perform 3 sets a day of 10 or so reps (or as comfort allows), gradually adding more repetitions as your calf strength improves

4. Fun toe flexes

Foot pain treatment doesn’t always have to be boring! Keeping your toes and foot muscles engaged can help in your healing process and fun but challenging exercises can add some variety to your routine.

Here’s a couple of our favourites:

1. Marble Pickup: Place marbles on the floor and try to pick them up using your toes one by one, transferring them to another pile. This exercise improves toe dexterity and strengthens the arch of the foot.

2. Alphabet Drawing: Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Hold a pen with your toes and draw the alphabet in the air. This exercise encourages movement and flexibility in your toes.

While these exercises are a great start to heal your plantar fasciitis, they are just the beginning! For an easy-to-follow home solution guaranteed to provide long-lasting results, look no further than our podiatrist-designed foot pain kit. 

We send you the exact tools to your house alongside a 12-week video program that aims to relieve pain and strengthen muscles, allowing you to maintain a pain free life. Our foot pain relief program takes the guesswork out of your plantar fasciitis treatment and helps you to increase the intensity as your strength improves, at a podiatrist recommended pace. You can see Heelr’s magic in action for yourself here.

We are so confident our program will have you foot-pain free, it comes with a full money back guarantee!

Take the first step to alleviating foot pain today