To ease you into this, I’m going to get you to start with this basic “pushing the tree over” stretch.

Im starting here because you probably know this and you can do it any where. Get into a lunge with your hands against the tree (wall, wardrobe) and make sure your back leg is straight. You want to drive the back foot into the ground

apologies if you get that, but to be clear

So, you are on the road, see how long you can hold this stretch for. See if you can move it along a bit. Long term you want to be aiming for 3 minutes, 3 times a day, In those first 30 days, you are simply getting used to the stretch, but you will find you can go further and that your ankle wall test improves.

Whilst I’m trying to increase your range of motion you will also find that stretching helps switching off the pain.

BUT, onto the serious stuff!

Ive shown you a basic fun stretch. It could work, but I learned in testing this regime is that even with a standard to chase, people eased off their stretching work.

Stretching can be very subjective, but I don’t want you to stretch subjectively. I want you to stretch to a standard.

To do this, you have to buy or make a slant board. This will help you set a reasonably challenging stretch that you can monitor and progress.

Use a slant board

I think you can make your own quite easily if you are any good at DIY. You can easily use a sturdy plank and rest it on some bricks. I spent £40 on my board and its the best thing Ive bought in years.

A well made slant board means that the slant angle can be changed. You want your stretching to be progressive: you have a target to reach,

start off with modest targets. set the board so you can tolerate the stretch , and build from 20-30 seconds to 3 minutes over a week. Each time you increase the angle of the board you may want to reduce the initial time you hold the stretch, but then you must build it up.

I also want you to do this specific stretch. We will call it the Digiovanni stretch

This plantar-specific stretching protocol was used by Digiovanni (2003) clients were instructed to perform this exercise when sitting, by crossing the affected leg over the other leg Then, while using the hand on the affected side, they were instructed to place the fingers across the base of the toes on the bottom of the foot and pull the toes back toward the shin until they felt a stretch in the arch of the foot. They were instructed to palpate the plantar fascia during stretching to ensure tension in the plantar fascia. Patients were instructed to perform the stretch 10 times, for 10 seconds, three times per day

References

DiGiovanni BF, Nawoczenski DA, Lintal ME, et al. Tissue-specific plantar fascia-stretching exercise enhances outcomes in patients with chronic heel pain. A prospective, randomized study. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2003;85-A(7):1270-7