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One of the most common and annoying types of foot pain anyone can experience is plantar fasciitis. The nagging—and, at times, excruciating—pain takes place along the bottom of your feet and worsens each time you bear weight, making running, walking, even standing on your yoga mat unbearably uncomfortable. Although the condition is common to runners, dancers, and anyone who stands for long stretches at a time, plantar fasciitis can happen to anyone, especially as we age.
According to physical therapists, a simple and reliable way to prevent plantar fasciitis and find relief from plantar fasciitis pain is simple: stretching your feet. The trick is that you need to practice this consistently. As it happens, many of the recommended plantar fasciitis stretches are movements you already do in yoga.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
There’s a thick band of fibrous connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from the calcaneus (heel) to the bases of the metatarsals (toe bones) at the ball of your foot. This tissue, known as the plantar fascia, provides the critical function of helping to maintain the arch of your foot while weight-bearing.
Although plantar fasciitis is considered an overuse condition, the name can be a bit of a misnomer. Typically, conditions that end in the suffix “-itis” are inflammatory in nature. MRI studies have found that plantar fasciitis symptoms are due to a condition marked by the thickening or degeneration of collagen fibers in the tissue (fasciosis) and not only inflammation.
As the collagen fibers in the plantar fascia break down, the tissue becomes thicker and stiffer. This dramatically decreases the elasticity of the arch of your foot and causes it to resist normal movement. When you bear weight on the contracted, thickened fascia, it not only makes the heel-to-toe transition during walking, running, or stepping to the front of your yoga mat painful but can actually cause micro tears.
Does Stretching Actually Help Plantar Fasciitis?
In a word, yes.
Stretching is one of the most commonly prescribed exercises for plantar fasciitis. The pain can often feel worse when you get out of bed in the morning because the tissue has contracted overnight. When you step on the floor and bear weight on your feet, the bones and arches spread, stretching the tightened plantar fascia. This increases the pain and can even exacerbate micro tears in the connective tissue.
Practicing plantar fasciitis stretches can help keep the tissue extensible and pliable. It works in much the same way as one of the classic treatments for plantar fasciitis, which is sleeping in a night splint that keeps the foot in dorsiflexion, with the toes drawn toward the shin and the plantar fascia stretched.
What Are the Best Stretches for Plantar Fasciitis?
Almost any stretch targeting the bottom of the foot and the calf will help ease the pain. You can practice these plantar fasciitis stretches anytime, whether as a preventative measure or to experience relief from stiffness or soreness. The most essential thing is to practice them with regularity. So why not make a routine of including them in your practice each time you unroll your mat?
As always, listen to your body and if you experience pain, lessen the intensity of the stretch or skip it. Always consult with a physician rather than self-diagnose.
1. Foot Doming
Foot doming, also known as the short foot exercise, is essentially the same as standing in a yoga pose and hearing the cue “ground down through the heel and ball of your foot and lift your arch.” This helps strengthen the muscles of the arch and also stretch the top of the foot. You can practice this while in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) or Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II) or even Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) as well as anytime you’re seated with your feet flat on the floor.
Stand on your yoga mat or sit in a chair with your bare feet flat on the floor. Lift the arches of your feet to form a slight dome. The bases of your big toes will move slightly toward your heels. Don’t scrunch or shift your toes. Hold for several seconds. Release and rest. Repeat several times.
2. Calf and Achilles Stretch
Excessive tightness in the gastrocnemius, soleus, and Achilles tendon along the back of your lower legs is a common plantar fasciitis risk factor. Some of the most effective plantar fasciitis stretches target this area. Any calf stretch will help. In yoga, reach your heels toward the wall behind you in Plank Pose, sink your heels toward the mat in Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), pull your front foot toward you in Half Splits (Ardha Hanumanasana), or use your hands, a strap, or a towel to draw the tops of your feet toward your chest in Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
To isolate the Achilles tendon in this plantar fasciitis stretch, maintain the same position but bend your knees slightly.
3. Arch Stretch
Stretching the arches of your feet stretches the entire plantar fascia. This can be as simple as sitting with your heel planted on the mat and drawing your toes toward your chest, whether you’re on the couch or your yoga mat. Try incorporating this stretch in seated yoga poses, including Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana) and Marichyasana. Although tradition holds that you keep the foot flat on the mat, explore lifting the toes and feeling the stretch.
Sit comfortably on your couch or yoga mat with one feet flat on the mat or couch cushion and your heel tucked close to you. Your thigh will be close to your chest and your knee pointing toward the ceiling. Keep your heel down as you lift your toes toward the ceiling. You should feel a stretch along the bottom of your foot. Hold for 15-20 seconds and then release. Repeat several times. Switch sides.
To also stretch your calf, lift the front of your foot as well as your toes. Keep your heel grounded on the mat.
4. Toe Stretches
Ever hear a yoga teacher ask you to stand on your mat in Mountain Pose, lift your toes, and spread them wide? This simple movement is an effective plantar fascia stretch you can practice while seated or standing.
You can also isolate elements of the stretch while you’re seated or standing by simply lifting your toes off while keeping your foot flat on the mat or spreading your toes wide and separating them from each other. Hold each stretch for several seconds. Repeat several times.
5. Toe Scrunches
Strengthening the smaller intrinsic muscles in your feet reduces the workload on the plantar fascia. Examples of strengthening foot exercises for plantar fascia include placing a towel on your yoga mat, scrunching it with your toes, and holding the gripped position for several seconds before releasing. Repeat several times.
