Plantar Fasciitis? Stretch Calves To relieve tension on the plantar fascia, stretch upstream at the calf muscle. This will improve ankle dorsiflexion without placing excess tension on the bottom of your foot. The key is to keep your heel grounded to focus the tension up and away from your foot while increasing the range in your calf muscles. This two-minute routine will do exactly that. Aim to do these stretches once a day and only after exercise, never before: 1 minute - Gastrocnemius Lunge (st