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

Wear good athletic shoes:

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

Be sensible about training:

• Try not to do exercise that your body is not used 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.