Plantar Fasciitis Stats
Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is a very common orthopedic problem that can best be described as chronic pain beneath the heel. Estimates indicate that 1 out of every 10 people will suffer from PF at least once during their lifetime. Risk factors that may contribute to PF include flat feet or excessive foot pronation, high arches, tight Achilles tendon or gastrocnemius muscles, and/or heel spurs. The tight Achilles tendon, which is found in approximately 80% of cases, can often be attributed to a lack of elasticity found in the anatomy of the tendons and plantar fascia. This attribute makes patients with PF great candidates for gua sha and acupuncture treatment.
Common Treatment Options
Treatment options vary from self-care, to invasive medical procedures, pain medications, and everything in between. The more conservative treatment options have between a 70% and 80% rate of pain reduction. Surgery, on the other hand, has results that are highly variable and come with additional complications. Other options for pain relief include medications that can have undesirable side effects. Plantar fascia-specific stretches have been found to provide greater pain-relief than stretches that solely focus on the Achilles tendon. Another common conservative treatment option involves items that can be purchased such as night splints or orthotics. A night splint helps to passively stretch the plantar fascia and keep the ankle in a neutral position during long periods of rest. This can increase muscle and fascia flexibility to help reduce tension.
Acupuncture Theory
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, PF may be caused by several factors. TCM focuses on treating the root cause of a symptom rather than just the symptom itself. This includes a hands-on approach with palpation of the patient’s channels to differentiate which ones are affected. Patients with PF often manifest pain and tenderness along the kidney and bladder channels but further inspection may indicate other channel involvement. For example, a patient with PF may forget to mention back pain, as they are focused on getting help for their intense heel pain. Often treatments involving points on the thigh, buttock, or even the back provide additional relief of heel pain.
Acupuncture Treatment Plan
Acupuncture treatment for PF is recommended twice a week for three weeks, with a follow-up evaluation. Usually, patients will start to show some improvement within six treatments, but more chronic cases may need continued treatment once a week after the initial course of treatment. The first goal of acupuncture treatment is to relieve pain and increase range of motion. This treatment approach is usually aimed at the branch or symptoms The second goal of acupuncture treatment is more focused on treating the underlying root or cause of the disorder so that it does not reoccur.
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Reference
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