If you regularly wake up with sharp heel pain when you take your first few steps out of bed, plantar fasciitis may be the reason.
It’s one of the most common causes of heel pain and can affect anyone from runners and recreational athletes to healthcare workers, teachers, and anyone who spends long hours on their feet.
The good news is that most people can recover without injections or surgery. The key is understanding what’s contributing to the pain and giving the plantar fascia the right combination of movement, strengthening, and treatment to recover.
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear about plantar fasciitis is that it’s simply inflammation that needs rest. Research now shows it’s caused by the plantar fascia becoming overloaded over time. Similar to tendons, the plantar fascia is connective tissue and needs the right amount of progressive loading to heal rather than complete rest.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel to your toes and helping support the arch of your foot.
When this tissue becomes repeatedly overloaded, it can lead to pain and irritation around the heel.
One of the most recognizable symptoms is sharp heel pain during your first few steps in the morning. Pain may also occur after sitting for a long period or during and after activities that put additional stress on your feet.
What Helps Plantar Fasciitis?
There isn’t necessarily one “magic fix” for plantar fasciitis. Treatment often involves a combination of approaches based on your symptoms, activity level, and the factors contributing to your heel pain.
These may include:
- Progressive strengthening
- Stretching
- Activity modification
- Supportive footwear
- Custom orthotics to help support the foot and minimize discomfort
- Manual therapy
- Shockwave therapy for persistent cases
Shockwave Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis
For heel pain that isn’t improving with other treatments, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) may be another option.
Shockwave therapy works by stimulating the body’s healing response rather than simply masking pain. It has been shown to improve function in people with symptoms lasting longer than three months, particularly when combined with a rehabilitation program.
Three Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis
Exercises that stretch and progressively strengthen the foot and surrounding muscles can play an important role in recovery.
1. Plantar Fascia Stretch
Before getting out of bed, gently pull your toes back until you feel a stretch through the arch of your foot.
If you can’t comfortably do the stretch in bed, try it as soon as you’re standing. Bare feet are best, but shoes can be used if standing without them is too painful.
Recommended: 30 seconds × 3–5 repetitions
2. Slow Heel Raises
Slowly rise onto your toes over two seconds, then lower yourself over three seconds.
As your pain improves, you can progress the exercise by performing it on one leg or adding weight.
Recommended: 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions
3. Short Foot Exercise
Without curling your toes, gently lift your arch by shortening your foot.
Recommended: 2 sets of 10–15 repetitions
Watch: Heel Raises for Plantar Fasciitis
In this short video, Leaside Sports Medicine’s physiotherapist Sergiu Duplea demonstrates how to perform heel raises to help strengthen and load the plantar fascia.
When Should You Seek Help for Heel Pain?
If your heel pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps returning, or prevents you from staying active, it may be time to have it assessed rather than waiting for it to heal on its own.
A physiotherapist or other clinician can help identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms, including:
- Calf weakness
- Reduced ankle mobility
- Training errors
- Footwear
- Changes in activity levels
From there, your clinician can develop a treatment plan based on your symptoms, activities, and recovery goals.
Early treatment can help you get back to walking, running, sports, and the activities you enjoy.
How Leaside Sports Medicine Can Help
If heel pain is interfering with walking, exercise, work, or the activities you enjoy, our clinical team can help determine what’s contributing to your symptoms and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Depending on your needs, treatment may include physiotherapy, strengthening and mobility exercises, manual therapy, custom orthotics, or shockwave therapy.
You can book an appointment with a chiropractor, physiotherapist, or massage therapist at Leaside Sports Medicine through the clinic’s Jane App booking page. For custom orthotics, book an appointment with Dr. Kottoor.
