The right exercises can calm your heel pain and help your plantar fascia (the strong band of tissue along the bottom of your foot) become stronger and more tolerant over time.¹˒² This page walks you through simple, evidence-based stretches and strengthening exercises you can do at home with minimal equipment.¹˒³
If you’re not sure your heel pain is plantar fasciitis, or you have red-flag symptoms like night pain, swelling, or an injury you can’t stand on, check with a clinician before starting.³˒⁴
Before you start: safety & pain rules
Plantar fasciitis is usually an overload problem, not a “one wrong step and it snaps” problem. That means gentle, graded loading is safe and helpful for most people.¹˒² Use these rules as you exercise.
Pain during exercises up to 3/10 discomfort is generally OK, as long as it settles back to your usual level within 24 hours.¹ If pain spikes suddenly or feels sharp and “tearing,” or you notice bruising, a loud “pop,” or you can’t put weight on the foot, stop and get advice.⁴ If pain is constant at night, or you feel unwell with symptoms like fever, redness, or severe swelling, stop and get checked.³˒⁴
Warm up first. A few minutes of easy movement often makes the plantar fascia and calf feel better during stretching and strengthening.¹ If you have diabetes, neuropathy, poor circulation, or recent foot surgery, check with a clinician before you start or progress exercises.³
Effective exercises for plantar fasciitis
Seated towel curls (foot intrinsic strengthening)
How does this help? The small muscles in your foot help support the arch and share load with the plantar fascia. Building their endurance can make the foot more resilient during daily activity.¹
How to do it: Sit in a chair with your feet flat. Place a small towel on the floor under the sore foot. Use your toes to scrunch the towel toward you, lifting it slightly off the floor if you can. Relax and repeat until you’ve pulled most of the towel in. Do 2 to 3 rounds per session on the sore side, about 3 to 5 times per week. If it becomes easy, place a small weight like a can at the far end of the towel for extra load.¹
Hip and glute strengthening (side-lying leg lift)
How does this help? Stronger hips help control how your leg loads your foot. Better control up the chain can reduce “extra” strain through the foot during walking and standing.¹
How to do it: Lie on your side with the sore foot on top and your legs straight, with your head supported. You can bend the bottom knee slightly for balance. Tighten the side glute, then lift the top leg up about 30 to 40 cm while keeping your toes pointing slightly forward. Hold for 1 to 2 seconds, then lower slowly. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on the sore side, about 3 times per week. If you want to progress, add a loop band around the thighs.¹
Single-leg balance (foot & calf control)
How does this help? Balance practice helps your foot and calf coordinate under load, which is useful when you return to longer walks, uneven surfaces, or sport.¹
How to do it: Stand near a counter or wall and hold lightly for safety. Stand on the sore foot and try to keep the arch gently “active,” without gripping hard with the toes. Aim to balance for 20 to 30 seconds while using as little hand support as you need. Do 2 to 3 rounds per side most days of the week. To progress, rely less on your hands, stand on a softer surface like a folded towel, or add gentle head turns or arm movements.¹
Toe walking
How does this help? Toe walking builds calf endurance and foot control, and it can be a practical way to reintroduce time-on-feet loading when it feels tolerable.¹
How to do it: Stand and hold onto a table or rail. Lift your heels from the ground and keep them up while you take a few small steps. Keep the steps slow and controlled, and stop if pain spikes or your form falls apart. Aim for a short, easy bout, and build up gradually.¹
Heel walking
How does this help? Heel walking strengthens the muscles that lift the front of the foot and can help balance how your lower leg works during walking.¹
How to do it: Stand and hold onto a table or rail. Lift your toes from the ground and keep them up while you take a few small steps on your heels. Keep it light and controlled, then rest. Repeat in short bouts and build up slowly as long as symptoms stay manageable.¹
Stretches for plantar fasciitis
Tight calf muscles can increase pulling through the heel area. Stretching the calf is commonly recommended and is supported in clinical guidance for plantar heel pain.¹
Plantar flexion - bilateral
How does this help? A small set of heel raises warms the calf and foot, and gently loads the plantar fascia in a way that is often more comfortable than stretching right away.¹
How to do it: Stand tall with both feet on the floor and lift both heels at the same time while keeping your knees straight. Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control. Relax and repeat 3 to 5 times, keeping heel pain below about 3/10.¹
Plantar flexion - unilateral
How does this help? This gives the sore side a bit more specific loading, which can help you build strength and tolerance over time when done gradually.¹˒²
How to do it: Stand tall and lightly hold a table if you need support. Bend your knee slightly and lift the heel of your affected foot, then lower slowly. Relax and repeat 3 to 5 times, keeping the movement smooth and staying within a tolerable pain level.¹
Calf Stretch
Tight calf muscles can increase pulling through the heel area. Stretching the calf is commonly recommended and is supported in clinical guidance for plantar heel pain.¹
How does this help? Calf stretching can reduce calf stiffness and may help walking and standing feel easier while you build strength.¹How to do it: Stand tall and place one foot forward with the front knee slightly bent, while keeping the back leg straight and the back heel down. Shift your weight toward the front foot until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. Then repeat with the back knee slightly bent to shift the stretch lower toward the Achilles tendon.¹ Pulling or tingling that eases when you return to the start. If tingling ramps up and stays, reduce the range or stop and discuss with a clinician.¹˒⁵
Did you know?
Plantar fasciitis responds best to a mix of stretching, progressive strengthening, and smart load management, not rest alone.A little discomfort (up to 3/10) during rehab is usually OK, and big spikes that linger are a sign to dial back.¹ Connective tissue changes happen slowly, so think in weeks, often 6 to 12 weeks of consistent work, not a few days.¹˒²
When to adjust or stop the exercises
Pause the program and speak with a clinician if pain is getting worse week to week, not just “up and down.”³ Get checked if you develop night pain, rest pain, or deep bone tenderness, if you feel a sudden pop in the heel with bruising or you cannot bear weight, or if you notice numbness, tingling, or burning in the sole or toes that does not settle.³˒⁴ These can signal a stress fracture, tear, nerve entrapment, or another cause that needs a different plan.⁴
Clinical insight
Clinical guidelines consistently recommend progressive loading, not rest alone, as first-line care for plantar fasciitis.¹˒² Gradually strengthening the foot and calf helps the plantar fascia adapt and tolerate daily walking and standing.¹ If pain becomes constant at rest, worsens week to week, or is paired with swelling or bruising, further evaluation is recommended before continuing exercise.³
Koc M, McDonough CM, et al. Heel Pain, Plantar Fasciitis: Revision 2023. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2023;53(12):CPG1-CPG39. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.0303.
2
Morrissey D, Cotchett M, Said J’Bari A, et al. Management of plantar heel pain: a best practice guide informed by a systematic review, expert clinical reasoning and patient values. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(19):1106-1118. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-101970.
