What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is irritation of the plantar fascia — the thick band of tissue along the sole of the foot that supports your arch and connects the heel to the toes. It is the most common cause of heel pain, and its signature is a sharp pain under the heel with your first steps in the morning or after sitting.
The pain often eases once you get moving, only to return after periods of rest or at the end of a long day on your feet.
What causes it?
- A sudden increase in walking, running or standing
- Tight calf muscles and a stiff ankle
- Unsupportive footwear or worn-out shoes
- Long hours standing on hard surfaces
- Flat feet or high arches
- Extra load on the feet, including weight gain
What are the symptoms?
- Sharp heel pain with the first steps in the morning
- Pain that eases with movement, then returns after rest
- Tenderness when pressing the inner part of the heel
- Pain after — rather than during — exercise
- Stiffness in the foot and ankle
A simple self-check
This helps you understand the pattern — it is not a diagnosis. A positive result is a possible indicator to have assessed.
- The morning sign. Notice your first few steps out of bed. Sharp heel pain that eases after a few minutes of walking is a classic pattern of plantar fasciitis.
- Press test. Gently press the inner side of the heel where it meets the arch. Localised tenderness there *may* point to the plantar fascia.
Heel pain can have other causes too, so use these as prompts to get assessed rather than a conclusion. A short evaluation confirms the source and rules out other issues.
How is it treated?
The great majority of cases settle with the right conservative plan:
- Calf and plantar-fascia stretching and mobility work
- Progressive strengthening for the foot, ankle and calf
- Manual therapy to ease tightness in the foot and ankle
- Footwear guidance and, where useful, temporary support
- Load management so you stay active without flaring the pain
- Dry needling for stubborn calf and foot tension when appropriate
The role of physical therapy
Rest and painkillers alone often let plantar fasciitis drag on for months. Physical therapy addresses why the fascia became overloaded — tight calves, a stiff ankle, weak foot muscles, or a sudden jump in activity — and corrects it. That is what settles the current pain and, just as importantly, stops it coming back.
Recovery timeline
- Most cases: improve significantly over 6 weeks to a few months with consistent treatment
- Longstanding cases: take longer, but follow the same path — the earlier you start, the faster the progress
When should you see a specialist?
Book an assessment if:
- Heel pain lasts more than a couple of weeks
- It is affecting your walking, work or exercise
- Morning pain is becoming a daily routine
Our team can confirm the cause of your heel pain and build a plan around your goals — book a WhatsApp assessment whenever you are ready.
