The bottom of my foot hurt for six months before I went to a doctor. Every morning the first step out of bed felt like stepping on a thumbtack. The pain eased up after a few minutes of walking but never fully went away. Plantar fasciitis. The doctor gave me stretches and told me to roll my foot on a frozen water bottle. That helped. The tennis ball helped more.

Why a tennis ball works

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes. That band — the plantar fascia — gets tight and irritated. Rolling a tennis ball under your foot massages and stretches the fascia, breaking up tight spots and increasing blood flow to the area. It is basically a deep tissue massage you can give yourself at your desk.

How to do it right

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place a tennis ball under the arch of one foot.
3. Roll the ball slowly from your heel to the ball of your foot, applying as much pressure as you can tolerate. Go slowly — fast rolling does nothing.
4. When you find a spot that feels especially tight or tender, stop rolling and hold pressure on that spot for 15 to 20 seconds. Breathe through it.
5. Roll for two to three minutes per foot. Do it while watching TV, reading, or working at a desk.

The frozen version

Put the tennis ball in the freezer for an hour before rolling. The cold adds an anti-inflammatory effect on top of the massage. This is especially helpful during a flare-up when the foot feels hot and tender to the touch. The frozen water bottle trick doctors recommend works on the same principle but a tennis ball conforms to your arch better.

When to do it

• Before you get out of bed: Keep a tennis ball on the nightstand. Roll your foot for a minute before that first painful step. Morning pain is worst because the fascia tightens overnight.
• After exercise: Especially after running, walking long distances, or standing for hours.
• Anytime you are sitting: Desk work, watching TV, reading. Passive recovery while you do something else.

What else helps plantar fasciitis

• Calf stretches: Tight calves pull on the plantar fascia. Stretch your calves multiple times a day.
• Shoes with arch support: Do not walk barefoot on hard floors. Wear supportive shoes or slippers indoors.
• Night splints: These keep your foot at a 90-degree angle while you sleep so the fascia stays stretched. Annoying to wear but effective for severe cases.

The tennis ball did not cure my plantar fasciitis overnight. It took about three weeks of daily rolling plus better shoes and consistent calf stretches. But the morning pain went from an eight to a two within the first week. That was enough to make me keep doing it.