Over the past few weeks, I’ve been breaking down every movement in a daily stretching sequence I use to help prevent plantar fasciitis. This post pulls the descriptions of the individual moves along with the precise order and timings of each activity. It is a 15-minute routine that I perform every day.
As a bonus, these stretches also work for muscle activation before playing tennis or engaging in high-impact tennis training sessions. Consequently, even if you have never suffered from plantar fasciitis, this routine is still for you. Taking care of our feet and proactively developing strength and flexibility in the arches and ankles is a smart move for tennis players. Healthy feet and ankles are the foundation of good footwork.
| Duration | Exercise Description and Link |
| 15 seconds | My timer starts with a short delay to gather my equipment and take a few deep breaths. |
| 30 seconds | Yoga Toes |
| 5 seconds | Grab the Stick Massage Roller and sit down |
| 30 seconds | Roll the Left Leg calf with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 30 seconds | Roll the Left Leg outer aspect with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 15 seconds | Side bend stretch to the left side (from Tommy Paul Stretches His Achilles and Hip Flexors) |
| 15 seconds | Roll the Left Leg hamstring with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 30 seconds | Roll the Right Leg calf with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 30 seconds | Roll the Right Leg outer aspect with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 15 seconds | Roll the Right Leg quadriceps with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 15 seconds | Roll the RIght Leg hamstring with the Stick Massage Roller |
| 30 seconds | Stand back up for another round of Yoga Toes |
| 45 seconds | Downward Dog, Upward Dog, Walk the Dog |
| 60 seconds | Quadruped Alternating Toe Mobility Stretches |
| 15 seconds | Low Bear Crawl Hold |
| 5 seconds | Drop the knees to the mat and bring the left leg up to a kneeling position |
| 20 seconds | Dynamic kneeling heel-down Achilles stretch (from Tommy Paul Stretches His Achilles and Hip Flexors) |
| 45 seconds | Side bend stretch to left side (from Tommy Paul Stretches His Achilles and Hip Flexors) |
| 5 seconds | Switch legs |
| 20 seconds | Dynamic kneeling heel-down Achilles stretch (from Tommy Paul Stretches His Achilles and Hip Flexors) |
| 45 seconds | Side bend stretch to the right side (from Tommy Paul Stretches His Achilles and Hip Flexors) |
| 5 seconds | Back up to standing |
| 30 seconds | Yoga Toes |
| 30 seconds | Pressure massage of where the plantar fascia connects to the heel bone on the left foot. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 30 seconds | Pressure massage the arch of the left foot. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 30 seconds | Left big toe golf ball stretch. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 30 seconds | Pressure massage of where the plantar fascia connects to the heel bone on the right foot. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 30 seconds | Pressure massage the arch of the right foot. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 30 seconds | Right big toe golf ball stretch. Described in the Golf Ball Post. |
| 10 seconds | Position the slant board. |
| 45 seconds | Place the left foot on the slant board and step forward and back with the right foot. Described in the slant board post. |
| 20 seconds | Bent knee squats with left foot on the slant board and right foot in posterior position. Described in the slant board post. |
| 5 seconds | Switch legs. |
| 45 seconds | Place the right foot on the slant board and step forward and back with the left foot. Described in the slant board post. |
| 20 seconds | Bent knee squats with right foot on the slant board and left foot in posterior position. Described in the slant board post. |
| 30 seconds | The short sequence described in “A Final Yoga Flow.” Mountain Pose, forward fold, half-lift, forward fold, mountain pose, and cactus pose. |
I use the Seconds Pro App to time out the full sequence above. I also use that app to perform most of my other interval training routines, except for jumping rope, where I prefer the integrated jump-counting feature of Yao Yao. Seconds Pro will audibly announce each exercise and count down the timings, which is a great way to be led through the routine. Even though I now have it memorized, the Seconds Pro integration with the Apple Watch allows me to silently perform the sequence solely based on haptic feedback on my wrist. That is particularly good when performing it before a league or tournament match, where people tend to come up and talk to me during this routine. It is a much better alternative for the timings, as I can’t converse and listen to the audio instructions through my headphones simultaneously.
No matter where you are on your tennis journey, taking care of your feet is a smart investment. This sequence isn’t just a preventative routine. It is also a performance enhancer and a ritual of care. Carve out the time, commit to the flow, and your feet will thank you.
Planter fasciitis is very painful – have suffered from the same. Like the exercises some of which I’ll also add to my routine. In addition to exercises, suggest super firm shoes and knee socks or calf compression sleeves. not sure why that helps but they really seem to make a big difference. Use smartwool socks as they are actually cooler. On super hot days do pull them down part way through a match if needed.