Plantar fasciitis can be treated with acupuncture, but I'll be honest - good shoes that support the arches are really the best fix. Continuing to wear non-supportive shoes and expecting acupuncture to fix the problem is just silliness.
If you are in the Austin Texas area, there is a great store called Karavel Shoes that specializes in shoes for foot problems. Totally worth the time to go there if you are in the area.
That said, here is a protocol that helps with plantar fasciitis. The sole of the foot is basically the Kidney channel region.
Option 1 - Unilateral Plantar Fasciitis
These points are near the fascia, so don't needle the affected foot. Instead apply the points to the healthy foot.
You could also add Ling Gu and Da Bai, the xi cleft of the Kidney channel (Kd 5), or choose mirrored points on the palm on an associated channel. Gu Guan and Mu Guan area a good choice, for instance. These treat heel pain, instep pain and plantar fasciitis.
Option 2 - Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis
When there is pain on both soles from plantar fasciitis it's not a great idea to use the Shui Xian, Shui Xian, and Shui Jing points because they are so close to the painful area. This can make patients nervous about needles in the area. This combination has worked well for me:
Kidney 5 Yes, this is in the general vicinity of the pain, but just one needle on one side is generally well tolerated. Kidney 5 is the xi cleft of the Kidney channel and will help alleviate the pain.
Gb 34 Influential point of tendons and sinews.
Comments