Tired of battling the pain of plantar fasciitis with no lasting relief? Ever wonder if there’s a better way? Discover how acupuncture points for plantar fasciitis could be your secret weapon for true healing. Don’t settle for temporary fixes—read on to find out how these targeted points might be the game-changer your feet desperately need.
Plantar Fasciitis: A Brief Overview
Ever wonder what’s actually happening with plantar fasciitis? While the “-itis” in its name makes it sound like a purely inflammatory condition, the real story is more complex. Research shows that fasciosis—a process of tissue degeneration—better describes this condition than classic inflammation.
In fasciosis, collagen fibres in the plantar fascia break down, creating thick, disorganized tissue. This deterioration brings in new blood vessels and nerve endings, along with a low-grade inflammation that’s subtle yet persistent.
Imagine it more as smouldering embers than the blazing fire of acute inflammation, with no visible swelling, redness, or heat to match the chronic pain.
This distinction is vital because many people rely on anti-inflammatory medications for relief. While these treatments can soothe acute inflammation, they fail to address the underlying tissue degeneration and low-grade inflammation at the core of plantar fasciitis, offering limited, if any, lasting relief.
For real improvement, treatment must repair the degenerated tissue, manage the low-grade inflammation, and reduce nerve sensitivity.
By addressing these root causes, it’s possible to break the cycle of irritation and achieve long-term recovery.
Why Acupuncture Stands Out as a Powerful Solution
So, how can acupuncture help? With plantar fasciitis involving both chronic tissue degeneration and ongoing low-level inflammation, effective treatment requires more than just addressing surface-level symptoms.
Acupuncture offers a multifaceted approach, working to ease pain, calm inflammation, and, perhaps most importantly, promote the body’s natural healing to restore degenerated tissue.
Acupuncture Relieves Pain
The pain from plantar fasciitis is often caused by overly sensitive nerves in the foot. Acupuncture works to calm these nerves, reducing the intensity of the signals they send to the brain. Within the brain and spinal cord acupuncture stimulates the release of the body’s natural painkillers—endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins—providing enduring relief.Acupuncture Regulates Inflammation
Unlike the obvious inflammation that comes with a sprained ankle, plantar fasciitis involves a low-level, persistent kind of irritation. Acupuncture helps balance the body’s pro- and anti-inflammatory responses, reducing this subtle inflammation and allowing the tissue to heal properly.Acupuncture Promotes Healing
Acupuncture enhances blood flow to the plantar fascia, increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients needed for tissue repair. This boost in circulation helps resolve the degenerative changes in the fascia, allowing it to regain strength and flexibility while reducing the risk of further injury.
Key Acupuncture Points for Plantar Fasciitis
Ever wonder how acupuncture points are chosen? It all goes back to classical Chinese medicine frameworks that have been shaping the practice for centuries. Concepts like qi (vital energy) and meridians (channels for qi) have guided acupuncture for centuries, influencing how and where points are chosen for therapeutic effects.
But why exactly these points? Scholars believe Chinese medicine developed largely through observation and experimentation, with theories emerging only after centuries of practice. The aim wasn’t strict biological accuracy but rather creating a system that made sense within its guiding philosophy and that got real results.
So, what makes an acupuncture point effective? These points aren’t chosen at random; they’re specific locations on the body where stimulation is applied to achieve a therapeutic effect. Ancient practitioners had an impressive understanding of anatomy—recognizing the importance of muscles, joints, nerves, and blood vessels in healing.
Over time, they charted meridian pathways and acupuncture points that often corresponded closely with these anatomical features. As they observed consistent benefits at specific points, their use was solidified. Yet they always left space for new therapeutic applications to emerge, allowing the practice to evolve slowly over generations.
For treating plantar fasciitis, acupuncture targets points along key meridians that influence the foot and lower leg. By focusing on these areas, acupuncture provides targeted pain relief, reduces low-level inflammation, and promotes tissue healing in the plantar fascia. This approach combines centuries-old insights with modern clinical observations, using precise points to address the unique challenges of plantar fasciitis.
Effective Acupuncture Points for Plantar Fasciitis in the 2020s
Choosing the right points starts with identifying the most relevant treatment zones. In Chinese medicine, meridians serve multiple purposes, one of which is to map musculoskeletal anatomy, often referred to by the ancients as “meridian sinews.” So, to make treatment as effective as possible, it’s important to target the specific muscles and connective tissues linked to the pain before focusing on exact points.
For plantar fasciitis, the main structures include the plantar fascia itself, as well as key muscles in the deep posterior (meaning toward the back) compartment of the lower leg, like the flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis longus, and the calf muscles (gastrocnemius). These muscles and connective tissues traditionally correspond to the Kidney, Spleen, and Bladder meridian sinews, which guide the choice of acupuncture points.
The following points, located along these sinews, have a long history of being effective for plantar fasciitis. They’re backed by both ancient practice and my own clinical experience—a process of refinement that continues to evolve each and every year.
Acupuncture points for the plantar fascia
Kd2 (Rangu)
Addresses muscles of the foot arch that control the big toe. Historically used for pain at the top or bottom of the foot.
Lower Kd6 (Zhaohai)
Treats the degenerated tissue where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone (inside of the foot).
·Lower Bl62 (Shenmai)
Treats the degenerated tissue where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone (outside of the foot).
Acupuncture points for the muscles of the deep posterior compartment of the lower leg
Sp6 (Sanyinjiao)
A great point to treat the flexor digitorum longus muscle, but is capable of treating all the muscles of the deep posterior compartment at the same time. It is also an effective location for stimulating the tibial nerve. This is a very famous acupuncture point that was historically used for rheumatism, pain, and paralysis of the lower leg.
Lr6 (Zhongdu)
Slightly higher than Sp6, accurately targets the tibialis posterior muscle. Historically used for pain in the lower leg and ankle. This is a modern addition that does not belong to the affected meridian sinews.
Bl57 (Chengshan)
Another point that can target all muscles of the posterior compartment. Historically used for pain in the heel and foot.
Bl59 (Fuyang)
On the back of the legs above the achilles, a good spot to treat flexor hallicus longus.
How Stimulating Acupuncture Points Relieves Plantar Fasciitis
Ever wondered how acupuncture actually works? It's a question that's intrigued scientists for years, and modern research has started to provide some clear answers. Acupuncture taps into a fascinating interplay between your nerves, immune cells, and hormones—a concept called neuro-immuno-endocrinology—to restore balance and promote healing.
Initial Alarm – The Pro-Inflammatory Response
Picture acupuncture needling as ringing an alert bell that wakes up your body's natural defence team. As the needle penetrates the skin, it activates your first responders: peripheral nerves (Aδ and C fibres) and immune cells (mast cells and macrophages). These defenders release chemicals (substance P, CGRP, histamine, TNF-α and IL-1β) to increase blood flow and call in reinforcements like neutrophils to clean up and protect the area.
While this is happening, your network of sensory nerves reports back to the brain—your command centre—keeping it informed about the "situation" so it can react accordingly to prevent further harm.
Transition to Calm – The Anti-Inflammatory Response
Inflammation is your body’s way of triggering change and healing, but staying in this state too long can be harmful. Here’s where acupuncture really shines: it signals your body to switch gears from defence to repair. Those same nerves and immune cells start broadcasting calming signals (adenosine, β-endorphins, IL-10, TGF-β) telling the defence team to stand down and begin repairing the tissue.
The urgent danger messages from your sensory nerves start to slow down, allowing your brain to relax its state of high alert. As the urgency fades, the brain and associated hormonal networks step in, releasing natural "peacekeepers"—β-endorphins, serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine, acetylcholine, and cortisol—which further calm the immune response and help desensitize your nerves to reduce pain and restore balance.
Long-Term Peace – The Repair Phase
With the defence team (immune cells) calmed and the communication network (Aδ and C fibres) desensitized, it’s time for the local repair crew, fibroblasts, to step in. These contractors rebuild and strengthen the tissue, supported by the soothing environment maintained by the peacekeeping chemicals.
Thanks to this seamless transition from alarm to repair, acupuncture not only relieves pain but also promotes genuine healing, supporting overall tissue health and breaking the cycle of tissue degeneration, low-level inflammation, and nerve sensitivity that often comes with plantar fasciitis.
The Path to Lasting Relief from Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis can be a stubborn and painful condition, often misunderstood and mistreated. Conventional anti-inflammatory treatments frequently fall short of addressing the root problems: tissue degeneration, low-grade inflammation, and nerve sensitivity.
This is where acupuncture for plantar fasciitis truly stands out. By blending centuries-old wisdom with modern scientific understanding, acupuncture taps into the body’s intricate network of nerves, immune cells, and hormones to shift it from a state of alarm to one of healing.
Acupuncture works by calming overactive nerves, resolving low-level inflammation, and promoting genuine tissue repair. By precisely targeting specific acupuncture points, this multifaceted approach not only reduces pain but also enhances tissue health and restores the body’s natural balance.
If you've struggled with plantar fasciitis and found conventional treatments lacking, exploring acupuncture may be the next step toward lasting relief. With its ability to harness the body’s natural healing power, acupuncture can help break the cycle of pain and irritation, paving the way for long-term recovery and a return to comfortable, pain-free movement.
Are you ready to experience plantar fasciitis pain relief?
We provide acupuncture on the beautiful Gold Coast. Book your appointment online for a face-to-face appointment with us at our Traditional Acupuncture Clinic. We look forward to helping you find relief and the path to a happier, healthier life.
Author
Adam Hjort is a Registered Acupuncturist and member of Australian Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA). He has been practicing since 2010 and maintains a clinic dedicated to the treatment of pain located in Ashmore, Gold Coast. This article was last updated November 2024.
