Plantar Fasciitis Exercises

Written by Matt McMillen
Medically Reviewed by Ross Brakeville, DPT on March 18, 2025
8 min read

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that affects the bottom of your foot, mostly around your heel or your arch. When the ligament that connects your heel and toes (plantar fascia) becomes too tight, it can cause small tears and pain.

Most people who develop plantar fasciitis notice it in the morning when they first step out of bed or when they stand up after sitting for a while. Usually, the pain and discomfort lessen after you start moving around.

You can get pain relief for plantar fasciitis through exercises that stabilize this area of your foot as well as your hip and thigh, making your muscles more capable of supporting the arch of your foot.

Below are examples of exercises commonly used to help treat plantar fasciitis. 

Toe curls with a towel

The first exercise you can try for pain relief from plantar fasciitis is towel toe curls. “This helps to activate your toe flexors, which can help stabilize your feet and reduce loads on the plantar fascia,” says Anil Nandkumar, PT, DPT, CSCS, SFMA, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, NY.

  • Step 1:Put a small towel on the floor, and sit in a chair so that your feet are over the towel.
  • Step 2: Using your affected foot, scrunch your toes onto the towel and try to pull it toward you.
  • Step 3:Relax your toes and let the towel go. Repeat this motion 10-20 times, one to three times daily.

Plantar fasciitis stretch

One of the best stretches for plantar fasciitis is the gastrocnemius stretch. The gastrocnemius is the term used for the main part of your calf muscle. You may hear this movement referred to as a calf muscle stretch. This stretch is very simple and can be done anywhere with a wall to support you.

“If you have calf weakness and tightness, it can lead to some plantar fascia issues, so stretching and strengthening the calf is important,” says Nandkumar.

  • Step 1: Stand facing the wall, and place your hands on it. With both heels on the floor, your unaffected foot should be about 1 foot away and your affected foot about 3 feet away. Your unaffected leg should be bent at your knee.
  • Step 2: Lean your hips toward the wall so that you feel a stretch in the calf muscle of your back leg.
  • Step 3: Hold this pose for 10-30 seconds and then relax. Repeat it one to three times a day.
  • Step 4: To help build strength in the calf, while in the stretched position, push into the wall with the injured foot like you're trying to raise up onto your toes. Hold for contraction for three to five seconds and repeat it three to five times.

Tennis ball roll

For this exercise, you’ll need a tennis ball or another small ball of similar size. If you don’t have a ball handy, you can use a water bottle or other similarly-shaped object instead.

  • Step 1: Sit in a chair, and place the ball under your affected foot.
  • Step 2: Roll the ball back and forth under the arch of your foot so that you can massage the plantar fascia ligament.
  • Step 3: Continue rolling for three to five minutes. You can do this twice a day.

Toe extension

The toe extension is one of the easiest stretches for plantar fasciitis, as you can do it anywhere at any time.

  • Step 1: Sit on the floor or a chair with your affected leg crossed over your unaffected leg.
  • Step 2: Hold your toes with your fingers of one hand and bend your toes and ankle up as far as you can. You want to feel a stretch in your calf and the arch of your foot.
  • Step 3: Use your free hand to massage the arch of your foot.
  • Step 4: Hold this for 10-30 seconds and then relax. Repeat 2-3 times 1-3 times per day.  
  • Step 5: You can also help build stability in the muscles controlling the toes. In the stretched position, pull the toes down while resisting the motion with your fingers.   

Plantar fascia stretch on a step

This uses your body weight to stretch both your plantar fascia and your calf in a very functional way.

  • Step 1: Stand on a step, and keep your unaffected foot flat. Slide your affected foot back until the ball of your foot is resting on the edge of the step.
  • Step 2: Lower the heel of your affected foot toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your calf and the arch of your foot.
  • Step 3: Hold this stretch for 10-30 seconds, and repeat it one to three times per day.

Exercises for heel pain

Plantar fasciitis causes intense heel pain. These exercises can help relieve that pain.

Heel raises. Also called calf raises, these exercises strengthen your calf muscles, which in turn supports your plantar fascia. Here’s how to do them.

  • Step 1: Stand on the edge of a step, holding onto the handrail for balance, and slide back so you are on the balls of your feet.
  • Step 2: Lower your heels below the step, then rise up lifting your heels as high as you can.
  • Step 3: Hold this position for two seconds, then slowly lower as far as you can.
  • Step 4: Repeat 10-20 times.

After you become comfortable with this exercise, you can try a different type that works each of your legs individually.

  • Step 1: Stand on the edge of a step, holding onto the handrail for balance, and slide back so you are on the balls of your feet. 
  • Step 2: Raise your heels until you’re standing on the balls of your feet.
  • Step 3: Shift your body weight so that most of it is on one leg, then slowly lower yourself down. Repeat 10-20 times
  • Step 4: Repeat on your other leg. Do it one to three times a day.

Arch lifts. Also called arch doming, this exercise helps strengthen the muscles that support the arch of your foot. This exercise can be practiced while standing or sitting and can help ease plantar fasciitis pain.

  • Step 1: Have both feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
  • Step 2: Lift the arch of your foot as if you’re creating a dome. Make sure that your toes remain flat on the floor. Do not curl your toes. Hold this position for two seconds, then lower your arch.
  • Step 3: Do two sets of 10-20 repetitions.

These exercises are meant to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis and shouldn't cause you further pain. If any of the exercises for plantar fasciitis are causing you more pain or discomfort, you should stop and talk to your physician or physical therapist.

To help with pain and inflammation, you can ice your foot after exercising. You can also take an ibuprofen or naproxen 30 minutes before exercise to help ensure you get the most pain relief from these stretches.

Before you begin an exercise program, see a physical therapist (PT). A PT can diagnose plantar fasciitis and identify the cause, which will help figure out which exercises you should do. The right exercises for you may be different from those prescribed for someone else with plantar fasciitis. Doing the wrong exercises could make things worse, says Nandkumar.

Your PT will prescribe the most beneficial exercises for you after finding the cause of your plantar fasciitis. It can be due to overuse from certain types of exercise or wearing improper footwear, for example. During an in-person appointment, your PT will talk to you about your physical activities, look at your footwear, and examine your feet.

Your PT will also watch you walk, squat, and climb stairs. This will show whether you have any weakness or instability in your hips or knees, which can add to plantar fasciitis.

“If your hips or knees aren't very stable during these activities, that can lead to collapsed arches, which can ignite an inflammatory response in your plantar fascia,” says Nandkumar.

Then, your PT will plan an exercise program for you and teach you how to do each exercise properly. This will allow you to work toward healing rather than risking harm. The tennis ball roll is a good example of an exercise that may not seem tough, but could end up causing harm if not done properly.

“In theory, that's absolutely one of the best treatments for plantar fasciitis,” says Nandkumar. “However, sometimes people will be too overzealous and think that bashing harder into the ball is going to be good for them, but really, it's not. It actually starts to inflame the plantar fascia even more so, therefore worsening the symptoms.”

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that can affect either foot. Fortunately, it usually gets better with the help of stretches and exercises (proper shoes, foot massages, and modifying activities also may be needed). See a physical therapist, who can tailor an exercise program to your needs. Your pain should start to ease quickly and improve within four to six weeks.

What's the fastest way to heal plantar fasciitis?

“There’s no shortcut,” says Nandkumar. “But if you have a proper PT exam and follow your treatment plan, that'll be the most efficient and streamlined way to solve the problem.”

How do you stretch plantar fascia in bed?

You can do toe stretches, as described above, while still in bed. The same goes for toe curls. While sitting on the edge of your bed, scrunch your toes up on a towel, a fuzzy carpet, or something similar that you can put in place before you go to bed.

Can plantar fasciitis go away?

It almost certainly will if you stick with your treatment program. Your PT should give you a timeline for what to expect. But in general, if it has not gotten better within six weeks, visit a physician or podiatrist for further checkup and to discuss the next steps.

Can you fix plantar fasciitis with exercises?

Plantar fasciitis is usually a movement disorder causing stress to the fascia. Although treatments such as ice, heat, ultrasound, massage, and others may help with acute pain, prescribed exercises will need to be a major part of your treatment plan.

How do you self-release plantar fasciitis?

You can do myofascial self-release by rolling a tennis ball under your foot, as described above. This eases tension in your plantar fascia. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as that can worsen your plantar fasciitis and increase the pain.