3 Exercises for Planta-Fascitis and Heel Pain
Plantar Fasciitis: 3 Rehabilitation Exercises for Heel and Foot Pain
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain. It can make the first few steps in the morning painful and may affect your ability to walk, run, exercise or stand for long periods.
Fortunately, a structured rehabilitation program can help improve foot strength, flexibility and load tolerance.
At Hoppers Crossing Sports & Spinal, our osteopaths can assess your foot, ankle, calf, knee and lower limb mechanics to help identify factors that may be contributing to your plantar fasciitis.
In this article, we look at 3 rehabilitation exercises for plantar fasciitis that can be incorporated into an appropriate recovery program.
Important: Exercise selection should be individualised. If an exercise significantly increases your pain, stop and seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a strong band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, connecting the heel bone with the base of your toes.
It helps support the arch of the foot and assists with absorbing and transferring forces when you walk and run.
Plantar fasciitis involves pain around the plantar fascia, most commonly near its attachment to the heel.
Common symptoms include:
Heel pain
Pain underneath the foot
Pain around the inside of the heel
Pain with the first steps in the morning
Pain after sitting or resting
Discomfort after prolonged standing
Pain during walking or running
Increased pain following an increase in exercise
Plantar fasciitis can develop when the tissues of the foot are exposed to more load than they are currently able to tolerate.
This can occur following an increase in running, walking, standing or sporting activity.
3 Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis Rehabilitation
A rehabilitation program generally aims to gradually improve the ability of the foot and lower limb to tolerate load.
Here are three exercises that may be used as part of plantar fasciitis rehabilitation.
1. Plantar Fascia and Calf Stretch
Limited flexibility through the calf and ankle can affect the way forces are transferred through the foot.
A gentle calf and plantar fascia stretching exercise can be useful for improving mobility.
How to perform the exercise
Stand facing a wall.
Place both hands against the wall.
Step the affected leg backwards.
Keep your back heel on the floor.
Keep your back knee relatively straight.
Gently bend your front knee while keeping the back heel down.
You should feel a stretch through the calf of the back leg.
Hold for 20–30 seconds.
Repeat 2–3 times.
You can also perform a more specific plantar fascia stretch by sitting down, crossing the affected foot over the opposite knee and gently pulling the toes backwards.
The stretch should feel comfortable rather than painful.
2. Calf Raises
The calf muscles play an important role in walking, running and absorbing and producing force through the ankle and foot.
Calf raises can help progressively strengthen the calf and improve the foot and ankle’s ability to tolerate load.
How to perform calf raises
Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart.
Hold onto a wall or stable surface for balance.
Slowly raise your heels from the floor.
Lift as high as comfortably possible.
Pause briefly at the top.
Slowly lower your heels back down.
Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 repetitions.
Progressing the exercise
As your strength improves, you can progress from:
Double-leg calf raises → single-leg calf raises → weighted calf raises
Progress gradually and avoid increasing the exercise load too quickly.
3. Towel Scrunches
The small muscles of the foot contribute to maintaining the arch and controlling the foot during movement.
Towel scrunches are a simple exercise that can help activate these muscles.
How to perform towel scrunches
Sit on a chair.
Place a small towel flat on the floor.
Put your affected foot on top of the towel.
Keep your heel on the floor.
Use your toes to gently scrunch the towel towards you.
Relax your toes and repeat.
Continue for 1–2 minutes.
Focus on controlling the movement rather than aggressively gripping with your toes.
As your foot becomes stronger, your rehabilitation program can progress towards more functional exercises such as single-leg balance, loaded calf raises and sport-specific movements.
Why Is Strengthening Important for Plantar Fasciitis?
Simply stretching the foot may not be enough for everyone with plantar fasciitis.
The foot is required to tolerate repeated forces every time you stand, walk, run or jump. Strengthening the muscles of the foot and lower limb can help gradually increase your capacity to tolerate these forces.
Your rehabilitation program may therefore include exercises targeting:
Calf strength
Foot intrinsic muscles
Ankle strength
Balance
Hip strength
Lower-limb control
The exercises can then be progressed according to your symptoms and activity goals.
Should You Keep Walking or Exercising With Plantar Fasciitis?
In many cases, complete rest is not necessary.
However, if your symptoms have developed after a sudden increase in training or activity, temporarily reducing the amount of load placed through the foot may be helpful.
For example, you may need to temporarily reduce:
Long-distance running
Sprinting
Jumping
Long walks
High-volume sporting activities
Prolonged periods of standing
You can then gradually increase your activity as your symptoms and foot strength improve.
The goal of rehabilitation is not simply to avoid pain forever. It is to progressively improve the capacity of your foot so that you can return to the activities you enjoy.
How Long Does Plantar Fasciitis Take to Recover?
Recovery from plantar fasciitis can vary considerably between individuals.
Factors that can influence recovery include:
How long you’ve had symptoms
Your activity levels
Training load
Foot and ankle strength
Calf flexibility
Body weight
Footwear
Work demands
Previous injuries
How quickly activity is progressed
Because plantar fasciitis can become persistent, getting appropriate advice early can help you develop a structured plan for returning to normal activity.
When Should You See an Osteopath for Heel or Foot Pain?
Consider getting your foot or heel pain assessed if:
Your heel pain has persisted for several weeks
Your pain is getting worse
You have difficulty walking
You cannot exercise normally
Your symptoms are affecting your work
You experience recurring foot pain
You have recently increased your running or training
Your pain is affecting your sleep or everyday activities
It’s also important to remember that not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, so an appropriate assessment is important if your symptoms are persistent, severe or unusual.
How Can an Osteopath Help With Plantar Fasciitis?
An osteopath can assess the foot and the rest of the lower limb to identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Your assessment may include looking at:
Foot and ankle movement
Calf mobility
Foot strength
Walking mechanics
Single-leg balance
Knee movement
Hip strength
Training load
Previous injuries
Work and sporting activities
Treatment may then be combined with an individualised exercise and rehabilitation program.
The aim is to help you progressively return to walking, running, exercise and other activities.
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment in Hoppers Crossing
If you’re experiencing plantar fasciitis, heel pain or foot pain, the team at Hoppers Crossing Sports & Spinal can assess your symptoms and help develop an appropriate rehabilitation program.
Our clinic services patients from Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Point Cook, Tarneit, Williams Landing, Laverton, Altona Meadows and Truganina.
Whether your foot pain has developed from running, walking, sport, work or an increase in physical activity, identifying the factors contributing to your symptoms can help guide your rehabilitation.
Looking for an Osteopath for Plantar Fasciitis?
If you’re searching for:
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Hoppers Crossing Sports & Spinal provides osteopathic assessment and rehabilitation for people throughout Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Hoppers Crossing Sports & Spinal
Address: 1/30 Powell Drive, Hoppers Crossing VIC 3029
Phone: 03 7038 0863
If plantar fasciitis or heel pain is affecting your ability to walk, exercise or participate in sport, book an assessment with our osteopathy team.
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