If you participate in sports or athletic activities and suffer from plantar fasciitis, there are things you can do to lessen your heel pain.

Wear good athletic shoes:

• Experts recommend shoes with cushioned soles (especially heels) and good arch supports. Sporting goods stores can help advise you about the best shoes; so can physical therapists, orthopedists, podiatrists, and sports medicine doctors.
• Replace your shoes every few months, because the padding wears out. Also, replace shoes if the tread or heels are worn down. While expensive, this is less expensive—and less painful—than a long-lasting heel problem.

Use sensible training techniques:

• Try to avoid exercise that your body is not accustomed to. Common exercise errors that lead to heel pain include:
  • Suddenly increasing the number of miles you run or walk.
  • Running uphill.
  • Running on uneven or hard surfaces, such as concrete.
  • Excessive sprinting (short, rapid bursts of running).
• If you do change your exercise routine, do it gradually.