Yoga for Plantar Fasciitis: 5 Best Poses + Exercises for Natural Relief

Ever stepped out of bed and felt a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of your foot? That pins-and-needles sensation in your heel is a common symptom of plantar fasciitis.

Whether you’re a dancer, an athlete, or someone who spends long hours on their feet, plantar fasciitis can appear unexpectedly and make simple activities like walking or standing feel unbearable.

If you’re wondering, “Is yoga good for plantar fasciitis?”—the answer is yes. Research shows that targeted yoga stretches and foot-strengthening exercises can ease heel pain, improve mobility, and support long-term recovery. By adding specific yoga poses to your routine, you can naturally reduce discomfort and allow your feet to heal over time.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the tissue called the plantar fascia. Think of the plantar fascia as a thick elastic band, running from your heel to your toes, providing arch support to your foot. 

When this tissue (the elastic band) is overstretched, it can cause persistent heel pain and stiffness. This is often felt the most when you first start moving in the morning or right after a physical activity.

Recovery from plantar fasciitis often includes a combination of rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and sometimes physical therapy or surgery. While most people heal within a year, for those who love staying active, the recovery time can feel long. 

Fortunately, incorporating specific yoga poses for plantar fasciitis into your routine can help alleviate pain, improve flexibility, and strengthen the muscles that provide arch support, speeding up the healing process. 

Yoga for plantar fasciitis can improve your flexibility, provide foot pain relief, and promote healing. 

Here are some poses you can do to feel better by stretching your feet and calves, releasing tension, and helping your body recover: 

1. Mountain Pose 
2. Downward Facing Dog Pose
3. Standing Forward Fold
4. Chair Pose
5. Legs Up The Wall Pose

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Mountain Pose may look simple, but it’s essential for realigning your knees and feet, which is crucial when dealing with plantar fasciitis. 

To learn more about the realignment of the body, check out this group class on finding balance and alignment.

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, your spine tall, and your gaze forward. 
• Focus on the soles of your feet, making sure they are evenly grounded and you distribute the weight evenly on the inside and outside. 
• Align your knees over your ankles and ground all four corners of your feet into the floor.
• Hold this position, breathing deeply for 1-2 minutes. 

Benefit: This pose helps you strengthen your posture and foot alignment, which is key to relieving foot pain.

2. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Downward Facing Dog works wonders for stretching your heels, calves, and hamstrings.

• Start on your hands and knees, then lift your hips, forming an inverted "V" shape.
• Reach your heels toward the floor, feeling the stretch in your legs and feet. 
• Stay here for several breaths, and don’t hesitate to bend your knees if you feel too much tension.

Benefit: This pose releases tightness in the lower body, relieving heel pain and tension caused by plantar fasciitis. 

3. Standing Forward Fold Pose (Uttanasana)

This pose releases tension by deeply stretching your calves, tight hamstrings, and the muscles around your ankles and heels. 

• Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. 
• Exhale and fold forward from your hips, letting your head hang and your hands rest on the floor or your legs. 
• Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid straining your lower back. 
• Let your neck and spine relax while your calves and feet stretch out. 
• Hold for 1-2 minutes while breathing steadily. 

Benefit: This is a great pose that provides a gentle yet effective stretch.

4. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Chair Pose strengthens the muscles in your legs, feet, and ankles, helping to support the arches and reduce strain in the plantar fascia.

• Stand with your feet together.
• Inhale and raise your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
• Exhale as you bend your knees and lower your hips as if sitting in a chair, keeping your weight in your heels.
• Hold for several breaths, then slowly return to standing.

Benefit: Chair Pose helps build strength in your feet and legs, which can alleviate pressure on your heels and aid in managing plantar fasciitis.

5. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This relaxing posture not only stretches your legs and feet but also helps reduce inflammation, which is essential for healing the fascia tissue affected by plantar fasciitis.

• Place a folded blanket near a wall. 
• Sit sideways on the blanket, then rotate your body to lift your legs up the wall. 
• Lay back comfortably, keeping your legs extended against the wall and your arms resting by your sides. 
• Focus on relaxing your entire body and breathe deeply for 5-8 minutes. 

Benefit: This pose offers gentle relief from the discomfort of plantar fasciitis and can even help with heel pain.

While these poses can ease the pain, it’s crucial to approach yoga with caution. Incorrect practice, especially overstretching, can lead to further injury by tearing the delicate tissue in your heel, potentially worsening the pain and prolonging recovery.

To ensure a safe and effective yoga practice, book a free 1-on-1 session with a certified coach!

Toe Yoga Exercises for Enhanced Relief

Beyond traditional yoga poses, targeted toe exercises, or toe yoga, can speed up plantar fasciitis recovery by strengthening the small muscles in your feet, improving mobility, and supporting proper foot mechanics. Try these simple yet effective foot yoga exercises for plantar fasciitis:

1. Toe Spreads and Lifts
2. Toe Curls with Towel 
3. Towel Stretch

1. Toe Spreads and Lifts

This exercise improves toe flexibility, strengthens intrinsic foot muscles, and enhances stability, thus reducing strain on the plantar fascia.

1. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Spread your toes as wide apart as possible.
3. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
4. Next, lift each toe individually while keeping the others grounded.
5. Repeat 8–10 times per foot.

2. Toe Curls with Towel

This exercise strengthens the plantar fascia, builds foot arch support, and improves grip strength in the toes.

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place a small towel in front of you.
3. Use your toes to grip and scrunch the towel toward you.
4. Release and repeat until the towel is fully pulled in.
5. Perform 2–3 sets per foot.

3. Towel Stretch

This is a great exercise to stretch the plantar fascia and calf muscles, reduce morning heel pain, and improve flexibility in the foot.

1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
2. Loop a towel around the ball of one foot.
3. Hold the ends of the towel in your hands.
4. Gently pull the towel toward you until you feel a stretch in your arch and calf.
5. Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch feet.
6. Repeat 2–3 times per side.

Tips to Practice Yoga for Plantar Fasciitis Safely

• Consult with your doctor before you incorporate yoga stretches for plantar fasciitis into your routine.
• Make sure you do yoga with a certified yoga instructor who can create a plan tailored to your specific needs.
• Always listen to your body. If a pose increases pain or discomfort, stop immediately and take a break.
• Pay close attention to the positioning of your feet and knees. Avoid standing on the edges of your feet or letting your knees bow outward or inward.
• Be patient, as yoga is not a quick fix. Consistent practice over time will help heal your plantar fasciitis, but it’s not a cure on its own.
• Begin with gentle plantar fasciitis yoga stretches, focusing on your feet and calves. Avoid pushing too hard, and be patient with your progress.

Yoga Poses to Avoid with Plantar Fasciitis

While plantar fasciitis yoga stretches are great for relieving foot and heel pain, there are certain poses you must be cautious about, or rather, avoid. These include:

• High-Impact Poses: Poses that require jumping or placing excessive force on the feet can exacerbate plantar fasciitis. For example, movements like jumping into a low plank during a Sun Salutation can overstress the plantar fascia, worsening inflammation.
• Deep Lunges: Poses like deep lunges and those that require extreme stretching of the arch may increase tension on the plantar fascia and lead to more pain.
• Standing Balancing Poses: Tree Pose or Warrior III places a lot of weight on one foot, which may increase strain on the inflamed tissue. Balancing on one leg while suffering from plantar fasciitis can be uncomfortable and potentially damaging.
• Poses with Sudden Movements: Fast transitions, such as moving quickly from Warrior to Half Moon Pose, don’t give the plantar fascia enough time to adjust. Sudden shifts in body weight can lead to further stress on the feet.
• Advanced Poses Requiring Flexed Toes: Plank poses that require deeply flexed toes might irritate the plantar fascia, especially when held for extended periods. This can worsen inflammation or even cause micro-tears in the tissue.
• Poses that Overarch the Foot: Any posture that overextends the arch, such as Camel Pose, may stretch the plantar fascia in ways that increase discomfort or slow down healing.

By avoiding these poses, you'll give your feet the rest and care they need while recovering from plantar fasciitis.

Book a 1-on-1 Trial Session Today! 

Yoga poses for plantar fasciitis can help with that stabbing heel and foot pain. 

Book a free 1-on-1 session today with a MyYogaTeacher coach and experience the transformative impact of yoga for plantar fasciitis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yoga good for plantar fasciitis?

Yes, yoga can be very beneficial for plantar fasciitis. Certain yoga poses and stretches can help stretch and strengthen the muscles in your feet and calves, reducing tension in the plantar fascia. Yoga also helps improve flexibility and circulation in the affected areas, which promotes healing and alleviates discomfort. 

How does yoga help with plantar fasciitis?

Yoga for plantar fasciitis focuses on poses that stretch the plantar fascia and calf muscles. Targeted stretches for your feet and legs help relieve heel and foot pain by reducing inflammation and improving flexibility. This promotes faster recovery by easing strain, boosting blood flow, reducing swelling, and strengthening the muscles that support your foot, helping you move with less pain and more stability.

How can I heal plantar fasciitis fast?

Along with yoga, you can complement your recovery with other strategies that promote healing. Start by resting the foot as much as possible, avoiding activities that aggravate the pain. Wearing supportive shoes with proper arch support or using orthotic inserts can help alleviate pressure on the plantar fascia. Additionally, massaging the soles of your feet and applying ice packs regularly can help reduce inflammation and pain. If the severity is much more, consult a healthcare professional for physical therapy or other treatments, such as corticosteroid injections.

Can toe yoga exercises help with plantar fasciitis?

Yes, specific toe yoga exercises are highly effective for plantar fasciitis. Toe lifts, spreads, and strengthening movements target the small muscles that support your foot arch. These exercises improve overall foot mechanics and can significantly reduce plantar fascia strain when practiced consistently.