If your first step is your worst step, there’s a good chance you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis. You’re not alone. About 10 percent of the population faces excruciating pain every morning as soon as their feet touch the ground. With the right treatment, heel pain can be resolved for good, but how do you make tomorrow morning’s steps easier, today? Below we’ve listed a few proven methods for stopping morning heel pain.

Stretch It Out

There’s a reason those first few steps in the morning are particularly painful. Overnight, the plantar fascia contracts as you sleep. When you stand, the ligaments are suddenly stretched and pulled out of a tight, contracted state. The immediate response is that familiar pain. Before you hop out of bed, you can warm your feet up with some stretches to avoid shocking your muscles.

"If you just leave a towel or a pillowcase right next to your bed. As you wake up, you can put it around the ball of your foot and you can gently pull." - Dr. Meredith Warner

Start while laying on your back and lift your leg straight in the air, then wrap a towel around the front of the foot. With both hands on the towel, pull and stretch the ball of the foot and ankle, pulling your foot towards your nose. This stretch targets both the plantar fascia and the calf. Tight calf muscles contribute to plantar fasciitis symptoms and can make your pain even worse in the morning.

Roll Your Feet

Keeping a water bottle at your bedside is a great way to stay hydrated, and surprisingly also a great way to stop morning foot pain. As you sit up on the edge of your bed in the morning, drop a water bottle or ball under your foot. Place your arch on the water bottle or ball, and begin slowly rolling from the ball of your foot to the heel. During each cycle, apply a little more pressure.

“With as much pressure as you can stand and massage the muscles at the bottom of your foot and in the arch of the foot and at the same time you’re going to be stretching your plantar fascia.” – Dr. Meredith Warner

The Healing Sole

Sliding your feet into The Healing Sole first thing in the morning encourages healing and recovery. With your first step, The Healing Sole gently stretches the plantar fascia. As your foot pushes off, the rocker bottom sole sways to reduce tension. When your foot meets the ground again, the compressible heel and raised arch absorb the weight of the body. Soft neoprene straps help to hold your foot in place as you move. We equipped the latest version of The Healing Sole with a durable outsole. Now our flip-flops last even longer and can support extended outdoor wear!

Take your first step in the morning with The Healing Sole to put plantar fasciitis pain to bed.