The Eccentric Exercise for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is caused from an inflammation in the band of tissues from the heel to the toes. It is the most common cause of heel pain today. Often times it is caused by poor foot structure, such as flat feet or high foot arches. Non supportive footwear, long hours on your feet, and obesity can also cause plantar fasciitis. It causes a sharp, stabbing pain on the bottom of the heel that is usually most severe in the morning. While the pain may subdue, it ususally returns during strenuous activities.

While plantar fasciitis can be treated in a variety of ways in the office, some of which have been covered in this blog, it is important to be actively engaged in healing your pain. One way to relieve heel pain is to do specific exercises and stretches that target the muscles in your feet.

The eccentric exercise is an exercise that we have found to be very helpful for our patients. Especially for patients with plantar fasciitis or severe heel pain, the eccentric exercise can help to reduce pain in the heel. Below are directions are a video for the eccentric exercise.

Directions: Standing on an elevate surface, or a slant board (shown in video), bend the left knee so that it is parallel to the floor. This knee should be bent and flexed. Drop the heel down on the right leg. Raise the right heel to neutral and then drop down. Repeat for opposite extremity. Do this with the knee extended and flexed as shown in photos. This exercise should be painful; if not, add weight in 11lb (5kg) increments to a backpack until it is painful. Do three sets of fifteen reps two times per day for twelve weeks.