How Yoga Can Help You Get Rid of Heel Pain For Good (+ 4 Poses We Love!)

I recently started expererining heel pain.. There are Four main stretches for plantar fasciitis that I swear by, but did you know that yoga can also help ease the discomfort of heel pain, lead you down the road to recovery, and prevent issues in the future?

4 Yoga Poses To Ease Aching Feet

1. Tadasana. Also known as mountain pose. This is a yoga pose beneficial for runners especially. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and roll your shoulders up, back, and down. This pose may seem too easy to be effective, but if you truly focus on the movements, you will feel a great stretch in the shoulders, back, hips, and especially your feet. As you stand, breathe, and move, feel your feet grounding into the floor or yoga mat. Many yoga instructors recommend closing your eyes and feeling the pressure of the mat on the four corners of each foot.

2. Supta Baddha Konasana. This pose is often referred to as "reclining bound angle," and it helps to stretch the plantar fascia as you lie on your back with your knees bent and slack and the soles of your feet together. It is also beneficial in increasing hip mobility. Don't worry about your thighs being perfectly flat or your knees hovering instead of resting on the ground. Feel the stretch, and don't worry about matching your movements to exactly mirror what the pose is "supposed" to look like. Hold this posture for several minutes of deep breathing to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing your mind and body.

3.

Commonly known as the Warrior Pose, it is a group of poses related to lunges. We recommend Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana in Sanskrit) to get the most benefit out of the pose. Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart so that your legs almost form a vee. Turn your feet and upper body so that both toes and your face are pointed in the same direction. Clasp your hands together behind your back and bend forward as if trying to line your torso up, almost parallel with your front leg. Keep your back foot planted firmly, and enjoy the deep stretch in your heel and calf. Slowly lift back to standing, following the direction of your breath, and repeat on the opposite side.

4. My all time favorite foot pose!

Toe Sit. This is a fundamental, beginner-friendly pose. Start by kneeling and bringing your bottom down to rest on your heels. Lay your hands flat on your thighs and focus on keeping your back straight and shoulders back. When ready, bring the bottoms of all ten toes onto the mat to bend at their natural angle. You might need to modify by placing a folded blanket under your knees for extra support or using your fingers to tuck your pinky toes. Center your weight on the balls of your feet. Feel the stretch in your toes and the arches of your feet, and hold the pose for several breaths before slowly letting your shoulders melt. We like to transition from this pose into the well-known and very helpful balasana (Child's Pose).

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