The benefit of seeing a massage therapist, as opposed to rubbing down your own legs and feet, is that professionals will have anatomy and physiology knowledge that most of their clients don’t, Juchli says. “A good therapist should be able to name what structure they are working on and suggest what could be going on,” Juchli says.
A massage therapist can also teach you individualized techniques that you can then replicate at home, Loncar says. But self-massage can be effective, too, particularly if symptoms are in early stages, Juchli says.
Experiment a bit to find the types of self-massage that work best for you, Loncar says. In general, she adds: “Anything that loosens that whole posterior chain, which is all the muscles on the back of the leg, is going to be really helpful.”
Here are some different massage techniques to try.
1. Frozen Water Bottle Massage
Perhaps the most-recommended tool for plantar fasciitis is also among the cheapest: Freeze a plastic bottle of water, and then roll your foot back and forth over the makeshift device. Do it while you’re reading a book or watching TV, Dr. Kamble says. “That helps a lot for everybody because it does two things: It ices the area and helps stretch the area.”
2. Tennis Ball Rolling
3. Wooden Roller Massage
You can also try a tool, like a wooden roller, to achieve the same aim. Melissa Prestipino, DPT, a physical therapist who owns Maize & Blue Rehab in Sparta, New Jersey and treats athletes and other people with plantar fasciitis, says wooden foot rollers, as well as vibrating plastic rollers, can help release the plantar fascia. As with the water bottle and tennis ball, she recommends using these sorts of tools while seated. “Standing and rolling out the foot can potentially aggravate the injury more, especially if a heel spur is present,” she says.
4. Massage Kit–Assisted Massage
Prestipino says she’s a fan of massage kits that include a roller, a ball without spikes, and a ball with spikes. Experiment with rolling your foot gently over the various tools. “The ball with spikes can be a little bit too abrasive for people to use,” she says. “The kit allows people to use the device that feels the most comfortable.”