Plantar Fasciitis & Achilles Pain
Heel and Achilles pain are load problems. The tissue is strong — it is just being asked for more than it currently has, often because the calf, the big toe, or the ankle joint is not doing its share.
These respond very well to hands-on work plus the right loading dose. They respond badly to rest alone, which is why they keep coming back.
What It Feels Like
- Sharp heel or arch pain with the first steps in the morning
- Achilles stiffness that eases a few minutes into a run and returns after
- Tenderness when you squeeze the tendon or press the front of the heel
- Pain pushing off at the end of a long run
Why It Happens
- Calf complex that lacks capacity for your mileage
- Limited ankle dorsiflexion or a stiff big toe
- A jump in speed work, hills, or racing flats
- Foot and hip control that lets the arch collapse late in runs
The Evaluation
What We Check In Person
55 minutes, one-on-one, hands-on. No dividing attention between three patients, and no spending most of the hour on exercises you could have done at home.
- Ankle, subtalar, midfoot, and great toe mobility testing
- Calf endurance and strength testing at multiple knee angles
- Hands-on assessment of the fascia, tendon, and its insertion
- Gait and push-off observation
- Footwear review against how you actually train
Try This At Home First
Start here. If it does not change in two to three weeks, that is the signal you need eyes and hands on it.
Heel raises off a step
Full range, slow lowering. Build to single leg, then add load.
Bent-knee heel raises
Targets the soleus, the muscle most often short on capacity in runners.
Big toe extension work
Restores the push-off range the fascia depends on.
Wall calf stretch
Heel down, hips square, press the heel toward the floor.
This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for your specific injury.
When To Book An Appointment
- Morning pain has lasted more than a few weeks
- The tendon is thickened, warm, or painful to touch
- You have tried inserts and rest with no change
Related Injuries
See all running injuries or browse treatments by body area.