Plantar Fasciitis: Releasing the Muscles Under the Arch Instead of Stretching the Fascia
That first step in the morning
Sharp heel pain on the first steps out of bed, easing as you walk, returning after sitting. Pain along the arch after standing all day. That is plantar fasciitis, and the usual advice is to stretch the fascia, roll it on a ball, wear an insert, and wait. The fascia itself is not a muscle; it cannot spasm. What can spasm are the muscles attached to it and beneath it.
The muscles doing the pulling
Under the arch lie the plantar intrinsic muscles: the abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor digiti minimi, quadratus plantae and the layers beneath. They share the heel bone attachment with the plantar fascia. In spasm they shorten the arch, pull constantly at the heel and keep the fascia under tension day and night, which is why it is inflamed and why it hurts most on that first loaded step. Above them, the deep calf (tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus) sends tendons under the arch to the toes; the tibialis posterior hard plantar-flexes the ankle and drives the metatarsals down, and in spasm it adds to the pull. Some arches are naturally built lower and some higher; the problem is not the shape of the arch but the spasm holding it.
How the release works
Modality 33 releases the plantar intrinsic muscles layer by layer under the arch and at their heel attachment until they let go and the fascia is no longer under constant pull. Modality 32 releases the deep calf behind the shin bone, and Modality 31 the superficial calf and Achilles when the whole back of the leg is involved. Relief on the first step is usually the first thing clients notice.
Why stretching alone did not work
Stretching a muscle in spasm makes it contract harder. The release has to be done to the muscle directly. Once released, the stretches and the insert stop being necessary, and the self-release the modality teaches keeps it that way for people who stand or run for a living.
When to see a physician
Heel pain after a fall or impact, or pain with swelling, redness and heat, needs medical evaluation to rule out fracture or infection.
The Releasology modality for this
Modality 33 · Plantar fasciitis: plantar intrinsic release. Read what the release relieves, the FAQ, and the free preview lesson on that page.
Related releases
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to stop running?
Usually not once the intrinsic muscles and deep calf are released. The self-release keeps them from re-spasming between sessions.
Does a heel spur mean I cannot be helped?
A spur is the heel bone's response to years of pull from muscles in spasm. Releasing the pull relieves the pain whether or not the spur is present.
Are flat feet the cause?
Arches come naturally lower and higher. Arch pain comes from the muscles under and behind the arch in spasm, not from its height.
Releasology is hands-on muscle release taught and practised in Los Gatos, California by Royal Jacobs and certified practitioners. It is not medical diagnosis or treatment. Book a session or see all 78 conditions.
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