Exercises You Should Never Do with Plantar Fasciitis
I did what people recommended, and it made things worse. Here are the lessons from 4 years of trial and error. Don't repeat my mistakes.
Exercises to Avoid
1. Running Without Stretching
In 2022, after getting PF, I started running based on YouTube advice. I pushed the pace from day one — like I was still in my twenties. No stretching. Result: shin splints on top of plantar fasciitis. Gave up after a month.
Lesson: Always stretch first. Shortest stride possible. Start at fast walking speed.
2. Rolling a Massage Ball Under Your Foot
Massage balls come up in every PF search. I bought one and rolled it under my foot for 2 weeks. It got worse. I was pressing on already inflamed tissue.
Even gentle pressure hurt. The area simply shouldn't have been touched. In hindsight it's obvious — pressing on a tear makes it tear more.
Lesson: Don't press directly on the painful area. Release the calves, not the fascia.
3. Squats Without Stretching
After giving up running, I tried squats. Without stretching first, my knees started hurting. I needed to loosen my hips, thighs, and hip joints before squatting — but skipped all of it.
Lesson: Stretching comes before any exercise. Especially after 30.
4. Jump Rope, Jumping Exercises
I didn't try this myself, but common sense says no. Jumping loads 3-5x your body weight on your feet. That repeated impact on damaged fascia will definitely make things worse.
Lesson: No jumping exercises while you have PF.
Exercises You Can Do (The Right Way)
1. Walking (Safest)
Just get through the first 5 minutes. After that, pain decreases. 30-50 minutes of brisk walking helps with weight loss and gently stretches the fascia.
2. Running After Stretching (Slowly)
Always stretch first. Shortest stride possible. Start at fast walking speed. Even 3km is hard at first, but build up slowly. Good running shoes (like New Balance 1080) are essential.
3. Front Kick Stretching
Learned this from kickboxing. A high front kick stretches everything from thigh to calf to sole in one motion. 20 kicks per side before running is enough.
4. Slow Squats (After Stretching)
Loosen hips, thighs, hip joints first. Go very slowly — two to three times slower than normal. Push hips way back to protect knees. Stop immediately if knees hurt at all.
With plantar fasciitis, it's not about which exercise — it's about whether you stretch first. After 30, you can't just sprint like you're 20. Always warm up.
This is not medical advice. I'm sharing personal experience only. If your symptoms are severe, please consult a medical professional.