Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis
Heel pain through the lens of pattern differentiation
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Plantar fasciitis presents as sharp heel pain that is worst on the first steps of the morning. In Chinese medicine the heel sits on the Kidney and Bladder channels, so persistent heel pain is rarely just a local strain — it usually reflects Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the sinews and bone, complicated by Cold-Damp obstruction or Blood Stasis in the channel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many acupuncture sessions are typical for plantar fasciitis?+
Clinical practice generally uses one to two sessions weekly over four to six weeks, then reviews. Chronic presentations with marked Kidney deficiency usually need a longer tonifying course alongside load management and calf stretching.
Which acupuncture points are used for heel pain?+
KI 3 Tài Xī, BL 60 Kūn Lún and BL 61 Pú Cān are the channel mainstays, combined with Ā Shì points at the medial calcaneal tubercle. KI 6 Zhào Hǎi is added when the medial arch is involved.
Is plantar fasciitis always a Kidney pattern in TCM?+
No. Acute overuse cases in younger patients are commonly Blood Stasis or Cold-Damp Bì with no Kidney signs at all. Pattern differentiation should follow the tongue, pulse and pain quality rather than the Western label.