I see that a few of us are having some Plantar Fasciitis (PF) niggles, and having had some niggles with PF myself recently, I thought it would be good to get used to doing some daily strengthening and mobility exercises that support any mid-foot issues that can lead to PF.
As some others have said on the Couch, Bridge and Fun forums over the years (thanks for posts and replies from Β Β Β Β Β Tessie66 , Β Β Β Β Β Oldfloss , Β Β Β Β Β Annieapple , Β Β Β Β linda9389 , Β Β Β Β Β Dexy5 , @pegix Β Β Β Β Β cheekychipmunks @happyplodderrunner18 Β Β Β Β Β Dendev75 Β Β Β Lola-bear @yesletsgo Β Β Β Β Β MrNiceGuy @T2runner Β Β Β Β Β Scruff55 ) the foot is complex and there might be many causes and many solutions to mid-foot pain.
So, if you have severe or lasting pain, it might be best to get expert advice. In the UK, a good place to start is the NHS website dedicated to this condition ( nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-f... ), which explores various options, from GP to physio to Podiatrist.
However incorporating some quick daily mid-foot-oriented strengthening exercises for prevention can only make us all stronger, and even better if we can adopt some quick exercise snacks that fit into our daily patterns of our lives.
This challenge focuses on adopting some daily habits that will hopefully help strengthen your feet and legs and keep you walking and running longer.
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Task is to
1) Each day, complete two different exercises per day, one chosen from the mobility and flexibility exercise list and one selected from the strengthening list
2) In a week, cover at least 6 different exercises. Ideally, do them on at least 6 days.
3) In a month, have managed to do at least 20 days of these, covering at least 10 different exercises
We can report back by replying to this post about which exercises we like, which ones seem to work best for us, which ones are rather challenging, and whether we successfully found ways to embed these as a daily habit.
So feel free to use the checklist above to tape to your fridge (pictured above) and then get choosing:
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π² 1. Calf Stretch (Wall Stretch): β’How: Stand facing a wall, place hands on it, step one foot back, and press the heel into the floor. Hold for 30 seconds per leg. You should feel deeper stretch in calves and glutes. β’Why: Tight calves pull on the plantar fascia, increasing strain.
π² 2. Cross Calf Stretch (Cross Wall Stretch): β’How: Stand a step away from a wall, place hands on it, roll back ankle out a bit (more weight on outer edge) and step one foot forward and across your body whilst putting more weight on outer edge. Hold for 30 seconds per leg. You should feel deeper stretch in calves and glutes. The more cross, the more stretch. β’Why: Stretching calves while foot is in supination (weight on outer edge) helps a deeper stretch alleviating tight calves which pull on the plantar fascia, increasing strain.
π² 3. Plantar Fascia Stretch (Toe Stretch): β’How : Sit in a chair, cross one foot over the opposite knee, and pull your toes back toward your shin. Hold for 30 seconds per foot. β’Why: Directly stretches the plantar fascia, improving flexibility.
π² 4. Big Toe Stretch: β’How: Stand facing a wall, place your big toe against it with your heel on the ground, and lean forward slightly. Hold 30 seconds per foot. β’Why: Improves big toe mobility, which is essential for proper walking mechanics.
π² 5. Rolling Massage (Lacrosse Ball or Frozen Water Bottle): β’How: Roll the bottom of your foot over a ball or frozen bottle for 1-2 minutes per foot. β’Why: Increases circulation and relieves tension in the fascia.
π² 6. Ankle Circles: β’How: Sit with your leg extended and rotate your ankle in slow circles, 10 reps in each direction per foot. β’Why: Improves ankle mobility, reducing stress on the plantar fascia.
βπ½ πππ€π₯: ππ₯π£ππππ₯ππππππ & ππ₯ππππππ₯πͺ
π² 7. Short Foot Exercise (Arch Doming): β’How: Sit or stand with your foot flat on the ground. Without curling your toes, lift your arch by pulling the ball of your foot toward your heel. Hold for 5-10 seconds, repeat 10-15 times per foot. β’Why: Strengthens the arch and intrinsic foot muscles for better support.
π² 8. Toe Yoga (Big Toe & Little Toe Lifts): β’How: Keep your foot flat on the ground, lift your big toe while keeping other toes down, then switch. Hold each for 3-5 seconds, repeat 10 times per foot. β’Why: Improves foot muscle coordination and stability.
π² 9. Heel Raises with Towel Under Toes: β’How: Place a rolled-up towel under the balls of your feet and perform heel raises. Lower slowly. Do 10-15 reps. β’Why: Strengthens the foot arch and prevents excessive plantar fascia strain.
π² 10. Towel Scrunches (Foot Strengthener):
β’How: Sit with a towel flat on the floor and use your toes to scrunch it toward you. Repeat 10-15 times per foot. β’Why: Strengthens the small muscles in your feet, improving stability.
π² 11. Single-Leg Balance (Barefoot): β’How: Stand on one foot for 30 seconds, then switch. For more challenge, try it on a soft surface. β’Why: Strengthens foot stabilizers and improves balance, reducing injury risk.
π² 12. Wall-Supported Hip Hike: β’How: Stand sideways next to a wall, pressing your inside hand and forearm against it for support. Stand on your inside leg with the outside foot hovering just above the ground. Lower your outside hip slightly, then use your hip muscles to lift it back to neutral. Perform 10-15 reps per side. β’Why: This exercise strengthens the gluteus medius and improves pelvic stability, reducing compensatory stress on the plantar fascia.
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For best results, try combining stretching and strengthening. Doing these regularly will help build mid-foot strength and hopefully prevent plantar fasciitis.These exercises take only 10-15 minutes daily and can reduce the risk of getting or reacquiring plantar fasciitis.
Consider massaging your feet using a moisturiser, perhaps integrate that into your routine after showering or at bedtime.
There are PF compression socks and some inserts that some swear by, but I havenβt tried them and I have not heard any physios directly suggest them. So if you have had experiences with PF socks and PF inserts, weβd love to hear.
Some of above described exercises and massages are demonstrated in YouTube videos, available from a playlist I put together from this link: youtube.com/playlist?list=P...
March MATness Day 1: The Hundred