3 physical therapy exercises for plantar fasciitis

When you wake up and get out of bed first thing in the morning, do you notice a sharp, stabbing pain in your feet near your heels? Do you experience sharp or throbbing pain when you walk on surfaces like hardwood or tile flooring? These are symptoms of a condition called plantar fasciitis. It involves inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and connects the heel to the toes. 

Experts estimated that anywhere around 2 million people in the U.S. are affected by this condition. While it can cause nagging pain in the bottom of the feet, fortunately, treatment can improve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. Treatment from a licensed physical therapist can help those with significant discomfort and pain start to feel better. They will most likely use specialized equipment, techniques and exercises to improve your plantar fasciitis. If you’d like to learn more about what exercises you can do in and out of the physical therapy clinic to improve your plantar fasciitis, you’ll find what you need below.

What are the most common symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

The most common symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:

• Pain in the heels — The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heels. Someone with this condition may experience significant pain at the base of their foot when walking or putting weight on it. 
   
• Swelling in the heels — It's also common for someone with plantar fasciitis to start noticing swelling in their heels. Excess inflammation of the plantar fascia band can lead to puffiness in the feet. 
   
• Tightness or pain in the Achilles tendon — Tightness or pain in the Achilles tendon, the tendon located from the bottom of the heel to the base of the calf, is another symptom of plantar fasciitis.
   
• Significant pain in the morning — Someone with plantar fasciitis is likely to experience the most significant pain in the morning after being in bed for several hours. They may experience sharp pain in the base of their heel when they first stand up out of bed in the morning. 
   
• Pain after standing or sitting for long periods — It's also common for people with plantar fasciitis to have significant or worsening pain in their heels after standing on their feet or sitting down for several hours at a time.

What physical therapy exercises can you do for your plantar fasciitis?

Fortunately, the symptoms of your plantar fasciitis can be improved with special physical therapy exercises. During physical therapy sessions, your therapist will guide you through a series of intentional movements and exercises designed to reduce inflammation and pain. There are also a few physical therapy exercises that you can do at home to improve your plantar fasciitis symptoms. These include:

• Rolling massage — One of the first physical therapy exercises that you can do at home to improve your plantar fasciitis symptoms is called the rolling massage. You can use a variety of rounded objects including a tennis ball, a small- or medium-sized foam roller, and even a frozen water bottle. We recommend using a frozen water bottle to help with pain and swelling. Place the rounded item under your foot and roll back and forth under your heel and the ball of your foot. 
   
• Heel raises — Heel raises are designed to reduce plantar fasciitis pain and strengthen calf muscles. Stand on the edge of a step or small ledge to perform a heel raise. Your heels should be hanging off the edge of the step. Then, slowly raise your heels up so that you’re on the tips of your toes and hold in that position for a few moments before lowering your feet back down. Repeat several times or as needed.
   
• Towel stretches — To perform a towel stretch, straighten your leg out in front of you and wrap a small or medium towel around the middle of your foot. Pull the ends of the towel toward your body until you feel a stretch in your foot and calf muscles. This exercise is best performed in the mornings to alleviate pain when getting out of bed.

Alliance PTP can connect you with the physical therapy practice you need for plantar fasciitis treatment

Ready to try in-person physical therapy for your injury or condition? You’ll find plenty of options to choose from among the Alliance Physical Therapy Partners practices nationwide. 

Our team can quickly put you in touch with one of our partner clinics near you, and their friendly and knowledgeable local staff can help you find care for your plantar fasciitis symptoms and can guide you through more physical therapy exercises for pain relief.

Don’t have the time to see a physical therapist in person? Not a problem. Alliance PTP and its partners can also see you virtually in nearly every state. 

Still have questions about what we and our partners can do for you? We’re ready to answer them and help you find the physical therapy you need.