Plantar Fasciitis is a painful and persistent injury that strikes athletes and weekend warriors alike. Nearly anyone who stands for a living, like retail workers, is also susceptible.

In most people the pain is in the heel or in the arch. The most classic symptom is pain in the morning with the first few steps out of bed. The fascia, the connective tissue, runs from your heel to your toes, acting like an arch support. If the fascia is too stretchy, the foot flattens out. If it’s too tight, the fascia carries too much weight before it can stretch.

While massage therapy cannot relieve all causes of plantar fasciitis, in most people, it can by targeting the muscles of the calves, the calcaneal tendon as well as the fascia and muscles in the arch. Plantar Fasciitis can be a stubborn and recurring problem and may require several treatments before the pain is relieved. Thankfully, most patients report complete relief within a couple of weeks.