• Stretch standing up. “A weight-bearing, runners-type stretch can be helpful for foot pain . Stand up and place your toes against a wall; lean forward a little until you feel your arch stretch. Repeat using the other foot. • Stretch sitting down. Sit barefoot and cross your left leg so that your ankle rests on your right thigh. Then hold your toes and bend them back toward your shin, stretching the band of tissue connecting the bottom of the heel to the ball. A University of Rochester study found that people living with plantar fasciitis had a 75 percent chance of having no pain within three to six months of performing this stretch three times daily.