Plantar Fascia
Exercises that target the plantar fascia, grouped by whether they stretch or strengthen it.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue (an aponeurosis) — not a muscle — running along the sole of the foot from the heel to the base of the toes. It works like a bowstring: supporting the arch and storing and returning energy with each step.
It becomes irritated and painful (plantar fasciitis) when it is overloaded — a sudden jump in walking or running, tight calves, or a weak foot and arch shifting strain onto the fascia. The pain is classically worst with the first steps in the morning.
Because it is not a muscle you cannot "strengthen" it directly; it settles with loading the calf and intrinsic foot muscles, gentle calf and fascia stretching, and managing how quickly you add load. See the foot and calf exercises.
