On this page
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed from your symptoms and a look at your foot, and treated with stretches, footwear and pain relief; scans, injections and shockwave therapy are in person.
- What it is: irritation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs from the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch. It is the most common cause of heel pain in adults.
- How common: about 1 in 10 people get it at some point in their lives, most often between the ages of 40 and 60.
- How long it lasts: it gets better slowly: about 80% of people improve within 12 months without surgery.
- Emergency: call 112 or go to an emergency department for a hot, red, swollen foot with a fever, a cold or pale foot, or a foot you cannot put any weight on after a fall or injury.
Do not book a video appointment if your foot is hot, red and swollen and you have a fever or feel unwell, your foot or toes are cold, pale or blue, you cannot put any weight on your foot after a fall or a jump from a height, or your calf is swollen, hot and painful. Call 112 or go to an emergency department.
Can an online doctor treat plantar fasciitis?
Yes. Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed from the way the pain behaves and from where the heel is tender, and both work by video: the doctor asks about your first steps in the morning, watches you walk and press on your heel, and checks for signs of another cause. Most people get better with stretches, the right shoes and pain relief. Scans, steroid injections and shockwave therapy are in person, and the doctor tells you when they are worth it.
How an online consultation helps with plantar fasciitis
- Other causes ruled out: A stress fracture, a trapped nerve, arthritis or an Achilles problem can feel similar, and the pattern of your pain helps tell them apart.
- Stretches that target the heel: Calf and sole stretches, built into your day, are the treatment with the best evidence.
- Shoes, insoles and pain relief: What to wear, whether ready-made insoles are enough, and which pain relief suits your other medicines and conditions.
- A plan if it lasts: When a scan, physiotherapy, a podiatrist, an injection or shockwave therapy is worth considering.
What the doctor checks in an online plantar fasciitis consultation
The doctor asks about the warning signs first, then about the heel pain itself. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: a hot, red, swollen foot with a fever, a cold or pale foot, an injury you cannot walk on, or numbness.
- The pain: where it is, whether it is worst with your first steps in the morning or after sitting, and what eases it.
- What changed: new running or exercise, longer hours on your feet, new or worn-out shoes, or weight gain.
- Other symptoms: tingling or burning in the sole, pain at the back of the heel, other painful joints, or a stiff back.
- Your health: diabetes, arthritis, earlier steroid injections in the heel, and the medicines you take.
Before the call, keep the shoes you wear most days nearby, and sit where you can show the sole of your foot and take a few steps on camera.
What is plantar fasciitis, and what causes it?
Plantar fasciitis is pain from the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs along the sole from the heel bone to the toes and holds up the arch. Repeated strain causes tiny tears where the band joins the heel bone, and the tissue becomes painful and irritated. It is the most common cause of heel pain in adults, and about 1 in 10 people get it at some point. Often there is no single clear cause, but these make it more likely:
- being aged 40 to 60
- tight calf muscles or a stiff ankle, the strongest risk factor in people who are not athletes
- being overweight: a body mass index above 27 raises the odds about 3.7 times
- standing or walking for most of the working day, especially on hard floors
- running, or a sudden increase in exercise, particularly on hard surfaces
- shoes with poor cushioning or arch support, flip-flops, and walking barefoot on hard floors
- flat feet, high arches or an unusual walking pattern
Women aged 40 to 60 are affected more often than men, and 5 to 10% of recreational and elite runners get plantar fasciitis. Jobs that keep you on your feet, such as teaching, factory work and nursing, add to the load.
What does plantar fasciitis feel like?
The typical pain is sharp or stabbing, under the heel or along the arch, and worst with your first steps after sleeping or sitting. It usually eases as you walk around, then builds again after long periods of standing or walking, or by the end of the day. Other signs that point to plantar fasciitis:
- a tender spot under the inner part of the heel when you press on it
- pain when you stretch the sole, such as raising your toes or climbing stairs
- stiffness in the foot, and a tight calf or Achilles tendon
- pain in one foot, although both feet can be affected
Tingling, numbness or burning are not typical of plantar fasciitis, and point to a nerve problem. Heel pain that changes how you walk can, over time, cause pain in the foot, knee, hip or back.
Are heel spurs the cause?
Usually not. A heel spur is a small bony growth where the plantar fascia joins the heel bone, and it can form in response to plantar fasciitis. Spurs are common in people with no heel pain at all, so finding one on an X-ray does not explain the pain or change the treatment.
Plantar fasciitis or something else?
Most heel pain in adults is plantar fasciitis, but these conditions can feel similar, and the details of your pain tell them apart:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Condition | Typical signs | Online care? |
|---|---|---|
| Plantar fasciitis | Pain under the heel, worst with the first steps in the morning | Yes |
| Achilles tendinopathy | Pain and stiffness at the back of the heel, above the shoe line | Yes |
| Stress fracture of the heel bone | Pain that builds slowly with repeated loading, such as running, and a tender heel bone | Needs an X-ray or scan |
| Trapped nerve (tarsal tunnel syndrome) | Burning, tingling or numbness in the sole | Yes, to assess; nerve tests in person |
| Bruised heel fat pad | Pain in the centre of the heel, often after a hard landing | Yes |
| Inflammatory arthritis | Pain where the Achilles joins the heel, with a stiff back, sore eyes or other swollen joints | Partly; blood tests and a specialist |
| Torn plantar fascia | A sudden pop, then sharp pain and bruising in the arch | Needs an examination in person |
Heel pain with a stiff, aching lower back that is worse in the morning can be part of ankylosing spondylitis, which is easy to miss for years.
Is heel pain a sign of cancer?
Rarely. Heel pain is usually plantar fasciitis or another strain. A bone tumour is a rare cause of heel pain; deep heel pain, or pain that is worse at night, needs a doctor to examine you.
How long does plantar fasciitis last?
It usually gets better on its own, but slowly. Symptoms often start to ease once you begin stretching and change your shoes, full recovery can take a few weeks to a few months, and about 80% of people improve within 12 months without surgery. It cannot be cured in a week, and no single treatment works for everyone.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Time | What usually happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| First 2 weeks | Pain often starts to ease with rest, ice, stretches and better shoes | See a doctor if it has not improved after 2 weeks of self-care |
| 2 to 3 months | Stretching and strengthening show their benefit; in trials, insoles eased pain at 7 to 12 weeks | Keep going daily; add physiotherapy if progress has stalled |
| After 3 months | If the pain is no better, the diagnosis is checked | A scan, and in-person options such as shockwave therapy |
| 12 months | About 8 in 10 people have improved without surgery | Surgery is considered only when everything else has failed |
Plantar fasciitis can come back, especially if the trigger, such as worn-out shoes or a sudden jump in running, is still there. If it does, restart the stretches and footwear changes that worked before, and see a doctor if the pain is different or worse.
Which stretches and exercises help plantar fasciitis?
Stretching the calf and the sole is the treatment with the best evidence. In one trial, a stretch aimed at the plantar fascia helped heel pain more than a calf stretch alone after 8 weeks, and in another, strengthening exercise worked better than stretching at 3 months. These exercises are from an NHS hospital physiotherapy leaflet:
- Wall calf stretch: step back with the painful leg, keep it straight with the heel on the floor, and bend the front knee. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times a day.
- Bent-knee calf stretch: from the same position, bring the back foot slightly forward, keep the heel down and bend both knees. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times a day.
- Towel stretch: sit with the leg straight, loop a towel around the ball of the foot and pull your toes towards you. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times.
- Seated toe lift: sit with your knees bent and lift your toes while your heels stay on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times.
- Frozen bottle roll: roll the arch of your foot over a frozen bottle of water for five minutes, twice a day.
- Heel raises: only once you can stand on tiptoe without pain. Rise up, hold for 5 seconds and lower slowly, 10 times, twice a day, and later on one leg at a time.
Should I stop walking with plantar fasciitis?
No, but cut down while it settles. Avoid long periods of walking or standing, running, and walking barefoot on hard floors, and keep fit with low-impact exercise such as swimming or cycling. Wear supportive shoes whenever you are on your feet, and go back to running gradually.
Which plantar fasciitis treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on how long the pain has lasted, how much it limits you, and whether anything points to another cause. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heel pain worst with the first steps, for a few weeks | Stretches, supportive shoes, insoles, ice and pain relief | Yes | Not usually needed |
| No better after 2 weeks of self-care, or pain stopping you working | A review, stronger pain relief if it suits you, and physiotherapy | Yes | For physiotherapy or a podiatrist |
| Still painful after 3 months of treatment | A scan to check the diagnosis, then shockwave therapy or an injection | Partly | For the scan and the procedure |
| Tingling, burning or numbness in the sole | Assessment for a trapped nerve | Yes, to assess | For nerve tests |
| Heel pain with a stiff back, sore eyes or other swollen joints | Blood tests and a rheumatology referral | Partly | For tests and a specialist |
| Diabetes with foot pain | A prompt check of the foot | Yes, to assess | For a foot examination and any wound |
| A hot, red, swollen foot with a fever, or a cold, pale foot | Emergency assessment | No | Call 112 or go to an emergency department |
Not sure whether your heel pain is plantar fasciitis? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for plantar fasciitis
What you can do yourself
- Rest and raise your foot when you can, and swap running and long walks for swimming or cycling for a while.
- Hold an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a towel, on the heel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
- Wear shoes with cushioned heels and good arch support, and use insoles or heel pads. Ready-made insoles work as well as custom-made ones.
- Avoid high heels, tight pointed shoes, flip-flops, backless slippers and walking barefoot on hard floors.
- Do the stretches above every day.
- Take paracetamol, or use ibuprofen gel; ibuprofen tablets can help if they suit you. A pharmacist can tell you which is right.
- If you are overweight, losing weight takes pressure off your heels.
- Replace running shoes every 250 to 500 miles (about 400 to 800 km), or every 6 to 9 months.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. Most people need only pharmacy pain relief. If that is not enough, the doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory such as naproxen for a short time, after checking your stomach, kidneys, heart, blood pressure and other medicines, because anti-inflammatories do not suit everyone. Opioid painkillers such as codeine and tramadol are never prescribed online. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
Treatments in person
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Treatment | What it involves | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapy | A supervised stretching and strengthening programme | Strengthening worked better than stretching alone at 3 months in one trial |
| Podiatry | Insoles, advice on shoes, and sometimes night splints or taping | Insoles ease pain over the first 2 to 3 months; night splints have mixed results; taping helps for about a week |
| Steroid injection | A steroid injected into the heel, ideally guided by ultrasound | Short-term relief at best; repeated injections can tear the plantar fascia (about 2.4%) or thin the heel’s fat pad |
| Shockwave therapy | High-energy sound waves aimed at the heel over several sessions | Studies are small and mixed; an option when other treatments have failed |
| Surgery | Releasing part of the plantar fascia, now usually by keyhole surgery | Rarely needed, and considered only after months of other treatment |
Platelet-rich plasma injections have very little good evidence behind them.
What does not help
Weeks of complete rest, which stiffens the calf and the foot. Walking barefoot or in flip-flops. Running through the pain. Repeated steroid injections, which can damage the plantar fascia and the heel’s fat pad. An X-ray just to look for a heel spur, which does not change the treatment.
Special situations
Runners and walkers
Cut back rather than stop: swap some runs for cycling or swimming, avoid hard surfaces, and return gradually. Warm up, stretch before and after exercise, and replace worn shoes. Other overuse injuries are covered on the sports injuries page.
Plantar fasciitis on holiday
Long sightseeing days, cobbled streets and flip-flops on hard floors put a sudden extra load on the heel, which is a common trigger. Pack supportive shoes, take your insoles, and plan rest stops. Other holiday health problems are covered on the travel illnesses page.
Diabetes
See a doctor about foot pain rather than waiting, because foot problems can be more serious with diabetes. Tingling or loss of feeling in the foot also needs a doctor.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When plantar fasciitis is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: heel pain that fits plantar fasciitis, a stretching and footwear plan, pain relief, heel pain that is slow to settle, and deciding when a scan, physiotherapy or an injection is worth it.
In-person care: scans, steroid injections, shockwave therapy and surgery, a suspected stress fracture or torn plantar fascia, foot wounds in diabetes, and any emergency sign.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- a foot that is hot, red and swollen, with a fever or feeling unwell
- a foot or toes that are cold, pale, blue or grey
- not being able to put any weight on your foot after a fall, a jump or an injury, or a foot that looks deformed
- a calf that is swollen, hot and painful
Get medical advice the same day for:
- a sudden pop in the arch followed by sharp pain and bruising
- new numbness or tingling in the foot
- foot pain with diabetes, especially with a wound, redness or swelling
- heel pain that is severe or stops you walking
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your heel: say when the pain is worst, show the sole of your foot on camera, and take a few steps if you can.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s plantar fasciitis? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Tendonitis can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about plantar fasciitis
What is plantar fasciitis?
Pain from the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue under the foot that runs from the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch. Repeated strain irritates it where it joins the heel bone. It is the most common cause of heel pain in adults.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Repeated strain on the plantar fascia, often with no single clear cause. Tight calves, being overweight, long hours on your feet, running or a sudden increase in exercise, unsupportive shoes and walking barefoot on hard floors all make it more likely.
What does plantar fasciitis feel like?
Plantar fasciitis feels like a sharp or stabbing pain under the heel or along the arch, worst with your first steps in the morning or after sitting. It usually eases as you walk, then builds again after long periods of standing or walking.
How do you get rid of plantar fasciitis quickly?
There is no cure for plantar fasciitis in a week. The fastest route is daily calf and sole stretches, supportive shoes with insoles, cutting down on long walks and standing, ice, and pain relief. Many people feel better within weeks, but full recovery can take months.
Does plantar fasciitis go away on its own?
Usually plantar fasciitis goes away, but slowly. About 80% of people improve within 12 months without surgery. Stretches and the right shoes help it settle sooner. See a doctor if 2 weeks of self-care have not helped.
Should I stop walking with plantar fasciitis?
No, you do not need to stop walking with plantar fasciitis, but cut down. Avoid long periods of walking or standing and walking barefoot on hard floors, wear supportive shoes, and keep fit with swimming or cycling until the pain settles.
What can I do at home for plantar fasciitis?
Stretch the calf and the sole every day, including before you get out of bed, by pulling the toes back towards you and rolling the foot over a bottle or ball; wear supportive shoes with a cushioned heel, with an insole or heel pad; ice the heel for about 10 minutes after activity; cut down long spells of standing and walking and swap running for swimming or cycling. Plantar fasciitis takes weeks to months to settle, so keep going.
What shoes and insoles help plantar fasciitis?
For plantar fasciitis, shoes with a cushioned heel and good arch support, with insoles or heel pads. Ready-made insoles work as well as custom-made ones. Avoid high heels, flip-flops, backless slippers and worn-out trainers.
How can I prevent plantar fasciitis coming back?
Keep up the calf and sole stretches a few times a week even after the pain has gone, because tight calves are a main driver of plantar fasciitis; replace running shoes and trainers before they wear out; avoid flat, unsupportive shoes, flip-flops and walking barefoot on hard floors; build up new activity, distance or hill work gradually, by no more than about 10% a week; keep to a healthy weight; and strengthen the feet and calves with heel raises.
Are heel spurs the same as plantar fasciitis?
No. A heel spur is a small bony growth on the heel bone, while plantar fasciitis is irritation of the band of tissue under the foot. Spurs are common in people without heel pain, so a spur on an X-ray does not explain the pain or change the treatment.
Is heel pain a sign of cancer?
Rarely. Heel pain is usually plantar fasciitis or another strain. A bone tumour is a rare cause; deep heel pain, or pain that is worse at night, needs a doctor to examine you.
Do steroid injections help plantar fasciitis?
They can ease the pain for a few weeks, but the benefit is short-lived, and repeated injections can tear the plantar fascia or thin the fat pad under the heel. They are considered only when other treatments have not worked.
When should I see a doctor about heel pain?
See a doctor about heel pain if it is severe or stops you doing normal things, is getting worse or keeps coming back, has not improved after 2 weeks of self-care, or comes with tingling or numbness, and always if you have diabetes.
Can an online doctor treat plantar fasciitis?
Yes, usually. A doctor can diagnose plantar fasciitis from your symptoms and a look at your foot by video, plan stretches, footwear and pain relief, and tell you when a scan, physiotherapy or an injection in person is worth it.
- Plantar fasciitis, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 14 February 2025.
- Plantar fasciitis, Trojian T, Tucker AK. American Family Physician, 2019.
- Plantar fasciitis: symptoms and causes, Mayo Clinic (US), 7 August 2026.
- Plantar fasciitis, Cleveland Clinic (US), reviewed 4 November 2022.
- Plantar fasciitis: exercises and advice, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, updated 31 May 2025.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
Related conditions
Speak to a doctor about heel pain over video, usually within 15 minutes
Licensed doctors · open daily 7am–11pm CEST · exact price before payment
See available times →