Plantar fasciitis exercises at home

Why it hurts most in the morning

Overnight the foot rests with the toes pointed, and the tissue under the foot and the calf tighten up. The first steps out of bed stretch them suddenly, which is why that first walk to the bathroom can be the worst part of the day. Pain often eases as you get moving, then comes back after long periods of standing or after sitting for a while.

Common triggers are a jump in walking, running or standing, a change in footwear, or long days on hard floors. A tight calf and weak foot and calf muscles often go along with it.

Before you get out of bed

1. Towel foot stretch. Sit up in bed, loop a towel around the ball of the foot and pull the toes towards you with the knee straight. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, 3 times.
2. Ankle pumps and circles. Point and pull the foot 10 times, then circle each way. Warms it up before the first steps.
3. Toe pull. Cross the sore foot over the other knee, pull the toes back with your hand until you feel a stretch under the arch. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, 3 times.

Through the day

1. Wall calf stretch. Hands on a wall, sore leg back, heel down and knee straight. Lean in until you feel the calf. Hold 30 seconds, 3 times. Repeat with the back knee bent to reach the lower calf.
2. Rolling. Sitting, roll the arch over a ball or a frozen water bottle for a minute or two. Many people find this soothing; it's for comfort rather than a fix.
3. Towel scrunches. Sitting, scrunch a towel towards you with your toes, then push it away. 1 to 2 minutes. Works the small muscles of the foot.

Strength: the heel raise with a towel

Strength work for the calf and foot is part of many plans for plantar heel pain. A common version: stand on a step with a rolled towel under your toes so they're bent upwards. Holding a rail, rise up onto your toes over about 3 seconds, pause for 2, and lower over 3. Start with both feet. Build to 3 sets of 8 to 12 on the sore foot every other day.

If that's too much, start with double heel raises on flat ground and progress to the step and towel. Some soreness the next day is normal when you start strength work; sharp pain that lingers means go back a step.

Things that usually help

• Supportive, cushioned shoes around the house instead of bare feet or flat slippers, at least for a while.
• Cutting back on the activity that spiked it, then building back gradually rather than stopping everything.
• Breaking up long stretches of standing with short sitting breaks.
• Patience. Heel pain often takes months to fully settle, and steady habits matter more than any one exercise.

Get it checked if

• The heel pain started after a fall or a hard landing
• There's numbness, tingling or burning in the foot
• The heel is swollen, hot or red, or you have a fever
• You can't put weight on the foot, or it's getting worse despite a few weeks of exercises

A sample day

Before getting up: the towel stretch, ankle pumps and toe pull, about three minutes. Midday: a wall calf stretch with the knee straight and bent, and a minute of rolling under a desk if you sit for work. Evening, every other day: heel raises with the towel, 3 sets, then towel scrunches.

On busy standing days, add a sitting break and a quick calf stretch every hour or so. On rest days from the heel raises, keep the stretches going.

Footwear and load

Shoes matter while your heel is sore. Many people do better in shoes with some cushioning under the heel and a bit of arch support, and worse barefoot on hard floors or in completely flat shoes. Heel cups or insoles are worth asking about if standing all day is unavoidable.

If you run or walk for exercise, you don't always have to stop. Cutting the distance, slowing down and picking softer surfaces is often enough, building back up only when mornings are getting easier.

Questions worth asking your physio

• Is this plantar fasciitis, or could it be something else causing heel pain?
• How much walking or running is OK for me right now?
• Would insoles, heel cups or night splints help in my case?
• When should I expect the mornings to get easier?

Everyday changes that help

• Avoid going barefoot on hard floors while it's sore.
• Supportive shoes with a little heel height and cushioning often help.
• Do a few foot and calf stretches before your first steps in the morning.
• Cut back on long walks or runs temporarily rather than stopping all activity.
• Be patient: heel pain often takes several months to settle fully.

A sample day

• Before getting up: towel stretch and ankle pumps.
• Morning: calf stretches and towel scrunches.
• Evening: heel raises with toes on a rolled towel, then a gentle rolling of the arch on a ball.

Doing it every day

Morning stretches only help if you remember them. Apex One has a guided plantar fasciitis program for between physio sessions. In Apex One+, the program talks you through each exercise out loud, times your holds, and asks you to rate pain before and after each session, so you have something concrete to show your physio. The voice counts reps at a steady pace; the camera isn't used for these exercises.

Count every rep with your phone

Questions

Keep exploring

• Plantar fasciitis exercisesApex One
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• Calf strain exercisesApex One
• Ankle sprain exercises at homeGuide