Have you experienced that stabbing pain in your heel or the foot arch as soon as you take the first step in the morning? Although the pain might get decreased as you move on to your daily life activities but often tends to come back after standing for long periods. If your answer to this question is a yes, then mind you it can be plantar fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis is caused due to an injury, strain or inflammation in the plantar fasciitis ligament that connects your toes to the heel. As this ligament gets injured it causes a stabbing pain in the arch area of the foot and is known as plantar fasciitis. Let us take a deep dive into this article and learn about some simple, light yet effective exercises and stretches that you can perform at the ease of your home to get rid of this stabbing pain. Not just relieving from the pain but these exercises will also help you to stretch out those muscles and eventually treat the symptoms of this condition as well.
Exercises for Heel Pain caused due to Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis stretches are the exercises that can help you by improving your muscle strength, promoting flexibility in the ligaments and foot muscles which eventually relieves the pain. Performing these exercises can help you to reduce the tension in your foot and calf muscles. These exercises and stretches would not just provide you relief from the severe pain but will also improve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis over time.
Image Credits- The Healing Sole
That heel pain can be really bothersome and hence it becomes essential to get rid of it as fast as possible. Here are some simple and light exercises that you can practice at your home to avoid this pain-
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#1. Rolling Stretch
This exercise can simply help you to loosen up your feet muscle and relieve you from that pain with just the help of a golf ball or a small rolling pin in a few simple steps-
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- Sit on a chair and place the ball under your foot
- Make sure that the ball is placed under the arch of your foot
- Slowly roll the mall in a circular motion for 2 minutes
#2. Plantar Fasciitis Stretch
Working up the surrounding muscles and stretching them out is not enough. In order to cure the problem and get rid of the pain, it is important to work on the problematic area as well. As plantar fasciitis is a condition that particularly affects the ligament joining your toe and heel, it is important to stretch that area out in order to solve the problem. Follow these simple steps to perform plantar fasciitis exercise effectively and reap its benefits.
- Sit straight on a chair and bring your affected foot up and place it on the other knee while crossing it.
- Firmly hold the foot with your opposite hand.
- Slowly pull the toes inwards in order to create some tension in the arch of the foot.
- Place your other hand at the bottom of your feet to feel the tension created by the pull.
- Hold up this position for about 10 seconds and then release.
- Repeat this exercise for about 3 times.
#3. Stretching Calf
In order to relieve the pain in your foot arch, it is important to provide a nice stretch to those calf muscles as well. As tight muscles in the calf or feet makes the pain even worse, stretching them out can loosen them up and help you to get rid of that stabbing pain. Get up and stand right in front of that wall to perform simple calf stretches
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Also Read: Is Your Footwear Uncomfortable? These 10 Problems Can Happen Because of Tight Shoes
- Stand straight against a wall and lean your hands onto it.
- Straighten the knee of your affected leg at the back and bring the other leg forward while bending its knee at front.
- Ensure that both your feet are placed flat in the ground.
- You will feel a stretching sensation in the calf and heel of your affected leg.
- Hold this position for about 10 seconds and stand straight.
- Repeat this exercise for 3 reps.
#4. Towel Curls
Well who knew that a towel would actually be helpful in relieving that heel pain? Curling up a towel with your feet can actually help to stretch out those foot muscles and ease the pain caused due to plantar fasciitis. Not just the foot muscles but towel curls is an effective exercise that can work your calf muscles as well. Grab a towel and get started with the curls to get rid of that bothersome pain-
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- Sit on a chair with both your feet flat on the ground.
- Take a small towel and place it under your feet.
- With your toes, grasp the centre of the towel and curl it inwards
- When the towel gets curled up, open it up and repeat.
- Do this exercise four to five times to relieve that heel pain.
#5. Foot flexes
The best way to relieve tension from any muscle of your body is to get the blood flowing. Increasing the blood flow in the affected area helps in relaxing the muscles by relieving the tension which eventually eases out the pain. Grab an elastic stretch and perform this simple foot flexing exercise to get rid of that stabbing pain-
Also Read: Banish Heel and Sole Pain In Minutes With These Super Easy Remedies
- Sit down on the floor with your legs straight.
- Take the elastic band and wrap it around your affected foot.
- Stretch the band so that both the ends are in your hands.
- Slowly and gently point the toes away from your body and then return them to the initial position.
- Repeat this exercise for about 10 times and feel the stretch in your feet.
As you know that exercising is not just meant for losing weight and building your body, it can help you to cure some health conditions and in relieving pain as well. Providing a nice stretch to your body is important in order to open out those stiff muscles and relax them. These light and simple stretches will help you to relax those stiff foot and calf muscles and increase the blood flow in that area which will eventually reduce the pain. Make sure that you consult your doctor or the therapist before indulging in any kind of exercise as these people know the best about your condition and medical history.