The telltale sign of plantar fasciitis is pain after rest. For example, it is typical for you to wake up in the morning and have no pain in your foot, until you attempt to take a few steps. Then the arch pain re-emerges. The belief is that you have sustained some micro-tears in the plantar fascia (a thick, flat, fibrous band on the bottom of your foot). While sleeping, or after sitting in a chair or car too long, the fascia begins to half heal. Then you step on your foot, and basically re-tear the band.

So, you need to do the following exercises BEFORE you get out of bed and BEFORE you stand up again from sitting. If you do not have time to do all of them, try to do the first one or two.

1. Quick Win: Arch Stretch. Place your affected foot on the opposite knee. Take your shoe off and grab all your toes with one hand and cup your heel with the other. Pull your toes and ankle toward your shin. Do not stretch it into feeling pain (just bump into the pain). Repeat 5x as you hold for 20 seconds. ● TEST to see if plantar fascia is tight. Sit on a chair so that your knee and ankle are bent to 90 degrees. Slide your hips forward until the front of your knee is just past your toes. Reach down and grab your big toe and attempt to raise it to approximately 30 degrees. If unable to raise the toe to 30 degrees, your plantar fascia is too tight.

2. Quick Win: Arch massage. Use your knuckles or your thumbs to massage the arch of your foot. You can massage in a circular fashion. You can also do a splaying massage-start with both thumbs side by side and press into the arch as you separate the thumbs-repeat. Avoid massaging areas of the arch that are too tender or sore. Instead massage around the tender or sore area. Massage for 1-2 minutes.

3. Stretch your calf and hamstring muscles at the same time. Place a belt or towel around your fore foot and pull your foot toward you as you keep your knee straight. TEST to see if calf muscles or Achilles tendon is too tight. Sit on a chair so that your knee and ankle are bent to 90 degrees. Slide your hips forward until the front of your knee is just past your toes. If you can’t keep your heel on the ground in this position your calf muscles and or Achilles tendon are too tight.

4. If you have time you can write the alphabet in capital letters using your greater toe. This will warm up the entire ankle and foot.

5. Quick Win: Put on a pair of shoes or sandals with good arch support BEFORE you get out of bed. If you get up in the middle of the night you should also put on the shoes or sandals with good arch support before going to the bathroom. Do not walk bare foot or stocking foot at any time.

For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program

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