For anybody that suffers from plantar fascia pain, a tight achilles tendon or is adjusting to a new running regime, those first steps to the bathroom in the morning can be less than graceful! It’s no surprise when you consider that the foot and ankle, slipped into the coziness of tucked in sheets, places most of the foot and calf musculature in a shortened position. After you hit the snooze button, take the next few minutes to do the following active movement exercise that will warm up and loosen the muscles in the foot and lower leg. You can do them lying down or sitting on the edge of the bed, but getting into this habit will make the first steps of the day much more pleasant.
These exercises are an excellent complement to the video and post I have written previously on self-massage for plantar fascia pain.