PLANTAR FASCIITIS REHABILITATION
A Step-by-Step Plantar Fasciitis Treatment & Rehab Program by Elite Level Sports Physiotherapist Phil Pask.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Symptoms include sharp pain under the heel, often worse in the morning or after rest. It is especially common in runners, walkers, and people who spend long hours on their feet. Without treatment, it can persist for months — even years — and make daily life a struggle.
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Cure My Plantar Fasciitis
Tired of heel pain holding you back? Our step-by-step rehab app, designed by world-class physiotherapists, shows you exactly what to do — so you can recover safely and get back on your feet.
Why Structured Rehabilitation Is Essential
Heel pain from plantar fasciitis can significantly impact your daily life and sporting performance. Quick fixes like stretching alone rarely address the underlying load and control issues. Our structured program blends load management, mobility, strengthening, and movement control, so you rebuild functional resilience over time. Additionally, our criteria-based progression ensures you only advance once you’re ready, reducing the risk of relapse.
Is it suitable for me?
This program is for anyone suffering from Plantar Fasciitis heel pain — whether your pain is recent or long-term. It’s based on the same proven methods used with professional athletes, but adapted so it’s safe and effective for everyday people.
“Trusted by physiotherapists who have worked with Premier League players and England Rugby.”
Program Author
Phil Pask
Phil is one of the world’s most experienced sports physiotherapists. He has worked with the England Senior Rugby Team since 1997, continuing in recent years as Consultant Physiotherapist.
Before that, he spent over 15 years at Northampton Saints as a player, physiotherapist, and Head of Performance, giving him unrivalled expertise at the very highest level of professional sport.
How does it work?
Before beginning plantar fasciitis rehabilitation, we assess the risk of aggravating your symptoms. This helps determine how much you should rest or “offload” your foot initially, and whether you should start at Phase 1 or progress directly to Phase 2.
Phase 1
This is the acute phase where we protect your foot, reduce pain and inflammation. Depending on your injury you may progress quickly to phase 2, or spend longer on phase 1.
Phase 2
The aim of phase 2 we get you walking normally with minimal discomfort. We manage the load through your foot getting you back into an exercise routine.
Phase 3
In phase 3 we aim for minimal discomfort and very little early morning stiffness, progressing from low to high loading of your foot, but with low impact exercises.
Phase 4
During this phase of your Plantar fasciitis rehabilitation, we get you back to running at 100% maximum speed and performing sports-specific drills.
Phase 5
Finally, phase 5 is the maintenance or ‘injury mitigation’ phase, designed to help prevent your injury recurring.
What’s included?
The program includes the following:
Treatment & healing
This covers how and when to apply treatment such as cold therapy & compression, heat, massage, taping & bracing.
Stretching & mobility
These aim to maintain a normal range of movement in the ankle, knee, and hips. They begin early in stage one with simple active ankle movements and gradually progress to more dynamic hip mobility drills.
Activation exercises
Not specific Plantar fasciitis rehab exercises, but important for maintaining the hip abductor muscles (outside of the hip). It is important these muscles keep firing and stay in good condition ready for the demands later in the program.
Strengthening exercises
These exercises maintain and improving specific muscle strength around your knee joint. They begin with simple isometric exercises and become increasingly more demanding, with heavier loads and unpredictable movements.
Movement control exercises
These are proprioception-type exercises, aimed at improving your balance, control, and spatial awareness. Again, they start with simple balance exercises and progress to advanced balance board movements.
Functional exercises for Plantar fasciitis rehabilitation
Functional exercises bridge the gap between basic rehabilitation and sports-specific type drills. They begin with walking drills and progress through skipping-type sprint drills and agility training.
Extra features included in every program:
- Daily task lists with step-by-step video demonstrations
- Progress tracking so you can monitor recovery and stay motivated
Got Questions? We’ve got answers.
How long does plantar fasciitis take to heal?
Mild cases can improve within a few weeks, but more stubborn plantar fasciitis may last several months. In severe cases, recovery can take up to a year. Healing is faster with consistent stretching, strengthening, and a structured rehabilitation program that restores foot strength and mobility.
Can you still walk with plantar fasciitis?
Yes, but walking can be very painful, especially first thing in the morning or after rest. Limit long periods on your feet and avoid activities that aggravate symptoms. Supportive footwear, insoles, taping, and targeted stretching can reduce irritation. Low-impact alternatives like cycling or swimming help maintain fitness until walking becomes comfortable again.
What is the fastest way to cure plantar fasciitis?
There is no instant cure, but the fastest recovery comes from combining stretching, strengthening, load management, and supportive devices such as insoles or night splints. Massage, ice, and taping can also reduce pain in the short term. The SportsRehab app provides a structured program to ensure you use these treatments in the right order and progress safely.
Does plantar fasciitis go away on its own?
It sometimes eases with rest, but symptoms often return without proper treatment. Addressing both pain relief and underlying foot strength gives the best long-term outcome.
Visit our full FAQ page for detailed answers about the programs and using sportsrehab.app
“Testimonials”
Best app for sports injury rehab! Everything you need to know (and more) to help you rehab from a plethora of sports injuries. Does exactly what it says on the tin. 5 stars. Thanks