The 5 Plantar Fasciitis Stretches a Podiatrist Recommends to Ease Foot Pain: Wall Stretches and More

Ever get up in the morning and put your feet down on the ground, only to experience a sharp pain in your heels or arches? If so, you may have plantar fasciitis. This common condition can make even walking a few steps feel unbearable. Luckily, there are many effective plantar fasciitis stretches you can do to banish discomfort fast.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis occurs when there’s an inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes, says Michelle Castiello, DPM , a podiatrist with Scarsdale Medical Group in Harrison, NY, a practice affiliated with White Plains Hospital in White Plains, NY.

The condition is often caused by overuse or strain of the plantar fascia, says Dr. Castiello. Contributing factors include wearing shoes lacking proper arch support or cushioning, having flat feet, high arches, an abnormal gait or engaging in excessive physical activity like running long distances, Dr. Castiello explains.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 2 million people in the US have plantar fasciitis. And the condition will affect almost 10% of the population during their lifetime. Women and men are impacted equally, and both active and sedentary people can have plantar fasciitis.

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5 easy plantar fasciitis stretches

“One of the best remedies for plantar fasciitis is to stretch and strengthen both the plantar fascia and your calf muscles, says Dr. Castiello. "This helps increase flexibility, decrease inflammation and diminish heel pain."

In fact, a study in the Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine found both strengthening and stretching exercises significantly reduced pain and improved gait in plantar fasciitis patients after three months. Here, Dr. Castiello offers five plantar fasciitis stretches to help get rid of stiffness and pain. She suggests performing these exercises at least three to four times  a week until pain subsides.

1. Towel stretch for plantar fasciitis

1. Sit with your leg extended.
2. Loop a towel or elastic exercise band around the ball of your foot. Keeping your knee straight, pull the towel towards you as you feel a stretch in your foot.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

2. Wall stretch for plantar fasciitis

1. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall.
2. Put one leg about a step behind your other leg, toes pointing forward.
3. Keeping your back leg straight and your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee and gently bring your hip and chest towards the wall until you feel a stretch in your back leg.
4. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.  Repeat 2 to 4 times on each leg.

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3. Towel toe curls for plantar fasciitis

“This move works the tiny, intrinsic muscles in your foot which help support the arch,” says Dr. Castiello.

1. While sitting, place your foot on a towel on the floor.
2. Scrunch the towel toward you with your toes.
3. While using all your toes, push the towel away from you.
4. Repeat 20 times.

Tip: Make this exercise more challenging by placing a weighted object (like a soup can) on the other end of the towel, suggests Dr. Castiello.

4. Heel drop stair stretch for plantar fasciitis

1. Stand with the balls of both feet on a step, holding onto a railing or banister for balance.
2. Slowly let your heels down over the edge of the step as you relax your calf muscles. You should feel a gentle stretch across the bottom of your foot and up the back of your leg to your knee.
3. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, then bring your heel back up to the level of the step.
4. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

5. Dynamic plantar fasciitis stretch

Rolling the arch of your foot over a rolling pin, tennis ball or cold water bottle is a dynamic stretch. That means you have a more controlled and coordinated repetitive movement within a defined range of motion as opposed to simply holding a static position. Dr. Castiello’s top choice is to use a cold water bottle. Why? Not only are you are stretching the foot, you’re icing it at the same time.

1. Sitting or standing, slowly roll the arch of your foot over the rolling pin, bottle or tennis ball.
2. Allow the foot to keep rolling over the object from heel-to-toe for a few minutes.

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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan .