Exercises for heel pain
CALF STRETCHING:
Calf stretching is one of the easiest and most important treatments for plantar fasciitis. When the muscles of the calf become tight they pull indirectly on the plantar fascia, causing this tissue to be stressed and irritated. To help lessen the stress on the plantar fascia, it is important to loosen up the calf muscles by stretching them.
How to:
To stretch the calf muscles, take a towel and loop it around the ball of your foot and then pull back towards yourself while keeping the leg straight, holding for 30 seconds. This is an effective technique to help loosen these muscles and can even be done in bed prior to getting up to help decrease the pain you feel with those first few steps in the morning.
Exercises for Plantar Fascia
PLANTAR FASCIA STRETCHING
The plantar fascia is the tissue that is irritated and causing pain in this condition, so making sure it receives some attention and gets properly stretched out is an important part of ensuring a full recovery.
How to:
To stretch the plantar fascia, simply grab your toes and pull back towards yourself until you feel a good stretch along the bottom of the foot. Like the calf stretch, hold for 30 seconds and perform 2-3 times per day. This can also be done prior to getting out of bed in the morning, or throughout the day, to aid in decreasing your pain.
Mobility Ball Massage
A way to help keep the plantar fascia loose is to roll out along the bottom of the foot. A great way to help loosen up this tissue while simultaneously decreasing pain and inflammation is to roll the bottom of your foot along a tennis ball for 5-10 minutes.
How to:
Apply some pressure down through the foot onto the water bottle or ball – making sure to roll out the entire length of your foot. This technique may not be the most comfortable to perform initially, however, the relief provided can be significant.
