Yes, exercise is called heel or toe lifts. What ya gotta do is stretch the Achillies tendon where it attaches to the hell. What this feels like, for those of you who've never had it, is a stone bruise right in the middle of the heel. And, for ME, barefoot was better. I did get relatively cheap orthotics my my chiroprator and they did help.

It is actually caused by fallen or very flat arches which cause the Achillies tendon to seem to shorten.