Physical therapy will help you return to your desired activities by improving the way your foot is loaded, restoring mobility to your tissue and addressing areas of weakness or imbalances in your foot. There are several effective physical therapy treatments, including

• Manual therapy – Physical therapists use their hands and/or ASTYM®/Graston tools® to manipulate the soft tissue in your foot. It's like a massage for the plantar fascia. Manual therapy loosens the tight tissue and reduces inflammation.
• Dry needling – A common treatment for a variety of overuse injuries, dry needling targets trigger points that cause pain. Placing tiny needles into the fascia causes it to release and the pain fades away.
• Night splints – Wearing a splint while you sleep keeps your foot in a better position throughout the night. So when you wake up, you won't feel the stabbing pain in your first few steps out of bed.
• Taping – Kinesiology tape, or KT tape, works similar to a night splint. A physical therapist tapes your foot in a position that better supports your foot's natural arch and takes pressure off the fascia.
• Iontophoresis – Physical therapists can also use iontophoresis, which uses electrical stimulation to send topical pain relievers deeper into the soft tissue.