There are exercises that can be done to decrease the risk of recurrence of plantar fasciitis. Your podiatrist may give you detailed instructions for a suitable exercise program that is good for you. Exercises for plantar fasciitis mainly concentrate on stretching the Achilles tendon, the calf, and the plantar fascia. These plantar fasciitis stretches can be done whenever you get pain from plantar fasciitis.

It is sometimes recommended that you warm up a little before doing plantar fasciitis stretches. An easy and not complex warm up is to walk up some stairs. Always ask your physician for advice on doing exercises and stretches for plantar fasciitis.

One of the plantar fasciitis stretches starts by standing about two feet away from a wall. Lean against the wall. With one leg bent comfortably, straighten the other leg, placing it about six inches behind you with the heel on the floor. Hold for ten seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch of the Achilles tendon in the extended leg. Switch positions and stretch the other leg. Repeat twenty times.

The second plantar fasciitis stretch starts with your toes against the wall with heels on the floor. Bring your hips closer to the wall so that your foot is at a forty-five degree angle. This will stretch the calf and the plantar fascia.

Sit on a chair. Rest the ankle of the injured foot on the knee of the opposite leg. Gently push the toes backward until you feel a stretch in the bottom of your foot.

Another exercise starts by leaning forward onto a countertop. Your feet should be widely spread apart with one foot in front of the other. Squat down. Keep your heels on the floor. Hold for ten seconds and relax. Repeat twenty times.

Sit on a table with your knees bent. Holding onto the ends of the towel, loop a towel under the ball of the foot. Keep knees bent as you gently pull the towel while flexing the foot upward. Try to press your foot against the towel.

If you experience pain in the morning, do the next simple exercise before getting out of bed. While lying on your back, use your big toes to write the letters of the alphabet in the air. After writing the alphabet, gently raise your big toes towards you.

Some people find massage helpful to reduce pain. One way to massage the area yourself is to rest the foot on a tennis or golf ball. Gently roll the foot over the ball. Rolling back and forth over the ball of the foot yields a gentle massage of the plantar fascia ligament. You may want to try using an empty tennis ball can that you filled with water and froze. The ice will provide some pain relief while the rolling action massages the foot.