Plantar fasciitis exercises at home
Ease heel pain with stretching, then build strength through the foot and calf.
Welcome to your heel pain program. We will stretch and then strengthen your foot and calf.
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Show them this program; in the app you'll confirm they've said it's OK for you before your first session. Exercise education, not medical advice. This is general guidance for common, non-serious heel pain, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a physiotherapist or doctor. Stop if pain is sharp or getting worse, and check the warning signs below before you start. Do the exercises on your sore side unless told otherwise.
The program: 3 phases
The first steps in the morning are often the worst. That usually improves over a few weeks.
Phase 1: Ease
Reduce morning pain · Daily- Plantar fascia stretch3 × 30s hold
Sit and cross your sore foot over your other knee.
Pull your toes back toward your shin until you feel a stretch along the arch. Hold.
Tip: This is best done first thing in the morning before your first steps.
You'll need: chair
- Calf stretch, straight knee3 × 30s hold
Stand facing a wall with your sore leg back and both heels down.
Lean into the wall, keeping the back knee straight, until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold.
Tip: Keep your back foot pointing straight ahead.
You'll need: wall
- Calf stretch, bent knee3 × 30s hold
Stand facing a wall with your sore leg back.
Bend both knees and lean forward until you feel a stretch low in your calf. Hold.
Tip: Keep your back heel on the floor.
You'll need: wall
- Foot roll30 reps
Sit with a ball or a frozen water bottle under your sore foot.
Roll your foot slowly back and forth from heel to toes.
Tip: Use gentle pressure. It should feel relieving.
You'll need: ball or frozen water bottle
Phase 2: Strengthen
Build foot and calf strength · Daily- Towel scrunches3 × 15 reps
Sit with your foot flat on a towel on the floor.
Scrunch your toes to pull the towel toward you, then relax and spread your toes.
Tip: Keep your heel on the floor.
You'll need: towel
- Double heel raises3 × 12 reps
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on a counter.
Rise up onto your toes, then lower slowly.
Tip: Take two seconds up and three seconds down.
You'll need: counter for support
- Plantar fascia stretch3 × 30s hold
Sit and cross your sore foot over your other knee.
Pull your toes back toward your shin until you feel a stretch along the arch. Hold.
Tip: This is best done first thing in the morning before your first steps.
You'll need: chair
Phase 3: Load
Heavy, slow loading for the plantar fascia · Every other day- Heel raise with toes on a towel3 × 12 reps · tempo 3-2-3
Stand with the toes of your sore foot on a rolled towel, holding a counter.
Rise up slowly for three seconds, hold for two seconds at the top, and lower for three seconds.
Tip: The slow tempo is the treatment. Do not rush.
You'll need: rolled towel, step or counter
- Calf stretch, straight knee3 × 30s hold
Stand facing a wall with your sore leg back and both heels down.
Lean into the wall, keeping the back knee straight, until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold.
Tip: Keep your back foot pointing straight ahead.
You'll need: wall
- Towel scrunches3 × 15 reps
Sit with your foot flat on a towel on the floor.
Scrunch your toes to pull the towel toward you, then relax and spread your toes.
Tip: Keep your heel on the floor.
You'll need: towel
Well done. Wear supportive shoes, and avoid going barefoot on hard floors for now.
Warning signs: get checked first
Don't start, or stop, and see a health professional if you answer yes to any of these. Red items need urgent care.
- Did your heel pain start after a fall or jump from a height?
- Burning, numbness or tingling in your foot?
- Pain in both heels plus stiffness in other joints?
- Do you get chest pain, pressure or tightness with activity or at rest?
- Have you fainted, or had dizziness that made you lose balance, in the last 6 months?
- Do you have high blood pressure that is not under control?
- Have you had surgery in the last 12 weeks?
- Are you under 16 years old?
Do it with Apex One
Check with your physiotherapist or doctor before starting. Apex One+ then turns this program into guided sessions: a quick safety check, your confirmation that they've OK'd the program, a pain rating before and after, every exercise talked through out loud, and holds timed for you. Reps are counted out loud at a steady pace; the camera isn't used in rehab sessions. When your heel is coping, you move up a phase.
Questions
How often should I do plantar fasciitis exercises?
In this program, phase 1 (ease) is daily; later phases are every other day. Little and often works best, and rest days let the heel adapt.
Should plantar fasciitis exercises hurt?
The first steps in the morning are often the worst. That usually improves over a few weeks.
When should I move to the next phase?
Move up when the current phase feels comfortable, pain stays low during and after sessions, and your heel settles by the next day. If pain flares, drop back a phase for a few sessions.
When should I see a physiotherapist or doctor?
Get assessed before starting if any warning sign below applies, if the pain followed a fall or injury, or if it is severe, getting worse, or not improving after a few weeks of regular exercise. Seek urgent care for symptoms like: do you get chest pain, pressure or tightness with activity or at rest.
Can an app guide my rehab exercises?
Yes, once your physiotherapist or doctor has said the program is OK for you. Apex One+ walks you through this program out loud with timed holds and pain checks before and after every session. It's exercise education, not a diagnosis.