Best Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis

Tennis ball roll

While seated, grab a tennis ball, rolling pin, frozen water bottle, or other cylindrical object and put it under your foot. Gently roll the object underneath the arch of your foot.

Perform this exercise for three to five minutes. You can repeat it two times per day.

Towel stretch

Grab a towel and put it around your foot. While sitting, extend your leg in front of you. Gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your leg stable. You should feel your calf muscle stretching.

Hold this position for about 45 seconds, take a break and repeat it two more times. You can repeat this exercise four to six times a day.

Toe stretch

In a seated position, push your leg out so that just your heel is on the floor. Bend down and grab your big toe, bending it backward. While doing this, flex your ankle up so that it pulls away from the floor.

Hold this position for about 30 seconds, take a break and repeat it two to four more times. You can repeat this exercise numerous times a day.

Toe curls

In a seated position, put a towel flat under your foot. Your goal will be to scrunch the towel up using only your toes. Once you have bunched the towel up, curl your toes the other way to straighten it back out.

Perform this exercise 10 times. You can repeat it one to two times per day.

Calf stretch

Stand facing a wall with one foot in front of the other (the back foot should be the one with plantar fasciitis). Keeping the back leg straight, lean your weight forward, bending into the front knee. Make sure your back heel stays on the ground, stretching your calf muscle.

Hold this position for about 45 seconds, take a break and repeat two to three more times. You can repeat this exercise four to six times a day.

Picking up marbles

For something a little more challenging, try putting marbles on the ground next to a coffee mug. Using only your toes, grab the marbles, lift them off the ground, and drop them into the cup.

Continue until you have gathered all the marbles. You can repeat this exercise one to two times a day.