7 Plantar Fasciitis Stretches for Heel Pain Relief

Stretching is one of the fastest and most reliable pain relief methods for plantar fasciitis.

When you have plantar fasciitis, it’s common to have tightness in a number of places, says Schuyler Archambault, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and the owner of Arch Physical Therapy and Fitness in Boston.

Common tight spots include the plantar fascia (the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot that connects your heel to your toes), Achilles tendon (the tendon that connects your calf muscles to your heel), and calves, she notes.

Stretching loosens the plantar fascia and surrounding tissues, and this can reduce the inflammation that causes pain associated with plantar fasciitis, says Lori Addison Grant, a doctor of podiatric medicine and a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon at Orlando Health Physician Associates in Maitland, Florida.

But stretching is only one piece of a plantar fasciitis treatment plan, Dr. Archambault says, so it’s a good idea to see a podiatrist or physical therapist for plantar fasciitis. In addition to stretching and rest, they might recommend self-massage, over-the-counter pain relievers, and sleeping in a splint that keeps your foot stretched overnight, Dr. Grant says.

Try the following stretches to ease plantar fasciitis symptoms. “You will want to start with a light stretch and gradually push into it, as it may be painful,” Archambault says.

She recommends seeing a physical therapist for a personalized treatment plan if your plantar fasciitis pain doesn’t improve after two weeks. Seek help sooner if your pain worsens during this time.

Perform these stretches with bare feet.

1. Seated Toe Extension

Archambault recommends this seated stretch if your heel pain makes standing stretches hurt. This stretches the plantar fascia on the bottom of your foot to ease heel pain.

Equipment you’ll need: A comfortable chair

How to do it: Sit in a comfortable chair and cross the ankle of the affected foot over your opposite thigh. With your foot in a flexed position, use your hand to gently pull your toes and foot backward to exaggerate the flex of the foot until you feel a stretch along the bottom of your foot. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. Switch sides. Do 2 to 3 sets per foot daily or before and after activities that exacerbate your heel pain, Archambault suggests.

2. Standing Toe Extension

If the seated version of the toe extension stretch doesn’t provide enough of a stretch, try the standing version, which allows you to use a wall for more pressure to deepen the stretch along the bottom of your foot, Archambault says. “The standing toe extension allows you to go through the same if not more range than the seated version due to the weight-bearing nature of the stretch,” she explains.

Equipment you’ll need: A wall with space to stand in front of it

How to do it: Stand in front of a wall. Prop the toes of your right foot against the wall and position your left foot about 12 inches behind you. Bend your right knee and gently push into the wall through your big toe to stretch the bottom of your right foot. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, then switch sides. Do 2 to 3 sets per foot daily or before and after activities that worsen your heel pain.

3. Towel Achilles Tendon and Plantar Fascia Stretch

This stretch uses a towel or resistance band to pull your toes toward your shin, providing a stretch through the bottom of your foot that releases some of the tension of your plantar fasciitis. It also stretches the back of your lower leg, which keeps those muscles from tugging on your plantar fascia and causing more heel pain, Grant says.

Equipment you’ll need: A towel or resistance band and a comfortable place to sit on the floor

How to do it: Sit on the floor with your right leg extended in front of you. Keeping your leg straight, flex the right foot so your toes are pointing up toward the ceiling. Wrap a towel or resistance band around the arch of the right foot and pull the ends to bring your toes toward your nose. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, then release. Switch sides. Do 5 to 10 repetitions per foot daily.

4. Standing Gastrocnemius Stretch

Tight calves can pull on your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia, contributing to plantar fasciitis pain. This stretch helps loosen tight calf muscles, emphasizing the gastrocnemius (the visible muscle that gives your calf its shape), Archambault says.

Equipment you’ll need: A wall with space to stand in front of it

How to do it: Stand in front of a wall at arm’s length from it with your feet hip-width apart. Place both hands flat against the wall for support. Step your left foot back. Bend your right knee and lean in toward the wall, pressing into your hands. Keep your back leg straight and heel on the ground to stretch the upper calf muscle of your back leg. Hold for about 30 seconds, then switch sides. Do 2 to 3 sets per side daily.

5. Standing Soleus Stretch

This stretch uses the same basic positioning as the standing gastrocnemius stretch, but bending your back knee helps focus the stretch on the soleus muscle (the other major calf muscle), Archambault says. Stretching this calf muscle helps prevent it from tugging on your plantar fascia, which causes pain.

Equipment you’ll need: A wall with space to stand in front of it.

How to do it: Stand in front of a wall at arm’s length from it with your feet hip-width apart. Place both hands flat against the wall for support. Step your left foot back. Bend both knees and lean in toward the wall. Press into your hands; you should feel a stretch along the lower calf muscle of your back leg down toward your heel. Hold for about 30 seconds, then switch sides. Do 2 to 3 sets per side daily.

6. Stair Calf Stretch

Use a staircase to get an even deeper stretch in your calf muscles and Achilles tendons so they loosen their painful grip on your plantar fascia. This also helps stretch the bottoms of your feet, Grant says.

Equipment you’ll need: A staircase or step

How to do it: Stand on a step so the arches of your feet and your heels hang over the edge. Gently drop your heels toward the ground or the step below to feel a stretch in your calves. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, gently bend your knees so you feel a stretch along the bottoms of your feet. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Do 5 to 10 repetitions daily.

7. Arch Roll

This exercise is a little more like a self-massage than an active stretch, but it still helps loosen tightness on the bottoms of your feet, Archambault says.

Equipment you’ll need: A lacrosse ball, golf ball, foam roller, or frozen water bottle and a chair to sit on

How to do it: Put the ball, roller, or bottle on the floor so it’s positioned under the arch of your right foot. Slowly roll your right foot back and forth on the ball, roller, or bottle. Cover the entire foot, from the base of your toes to the edge of your heel. Roll back and forth 20 times, then switch feet. Perform this exercise daily.

• Stretching helps relieve plantar fasciitis pain by loosening tightness in your plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, and calf muscles.
• Stretches (like the ones described here) can be done regularly as part of a plantar fasciitis treatment plan.
• Visit a podiatrist or physical therapist for targeted recommendations for managing plantar fasciitis.