Heel Pain

Presentation Slides

Chinese Medicine Research Hub

Randomised Controlled Trial

Electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture show similar effectiveness in relieving plantar heel pain syndrome with no significant difference between the two modalities.

2020 Acupuncture in Medicine Comparison of electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture for patients with plantar heel pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Wang W, Liu Y, Jiao R, Liu S, Zhao J, Liu Z

Chinese Medicine Research Hub

Systematic Review

There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture for plantar heel pain comparable to that available for conventionally used interventions, such as stretching, night splints or dexamethasone.

2012 Acupuncture in Medicine The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Plantar Heel Pain: A Systematic Review
Clark RJ, Tighe M

Chinese Medicine Research Hub

Randomised Controlled Trial

Acupuncture can provide pain relief to patients with plantar fasciitis.

2011 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial with six months follow-up
Shi Ping Zhang , Tsui-Pik Yip, Qiu-Shi Li

Executive Summary

Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Research into Chinese medicine treatment for Heel Pain" summarising the research below and using language that can be easily understood by patients and avoiding medical jargon using a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Researched Chinese medicine treatments for Heel Pain" summarising the research below in an objective and easy to understand way, and using language that can be easily understood by patients. Group the article into Chinese medicine treatments first, followed by nutrition and other treatments. Avoid using medical jargon and use a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write me a concise but easy to understand executive summary on the topic of "Chinese medicine treatments for Heel Pain" based on the following research that I will give you. Your summary should be 2 paragraphs long in Australian English spelling and include references to the studies.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2020 in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine found that Electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture show similar effectiveness in relieving plantar heel pain syndrome with no significant difference between the two modalities. In this research, participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive either electroacupuncture (EA) or manual acupuncture (MA) treatments. They underwent a course of 12 treatment sessions over a span of 4 weeks, followed by 24 weeks of follow-up. The study prioritized the assessment of treatment responders, who were identified as patients showcasing at least a 50% reduction from their initial worst pain intensity experienced during the initial steps in the morning after 4 weeks of treatment. The study encompassed 92 patients diagnosed with PHPS, enlisted between July 2018 and June 2019. A total of 78 patients (85% of the original group) successfully completed both the treatment and follow-up. The results highlight that after the 4-week treatment period, both the EA and MA groups experienced a decrease in heel pain and showed improved plantar function with no serious treatment-related adverse events. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of pain intensity relief or in any secondary outcomes after 4 weeks of treatment and at follow-up points at 16 and 28 weeks.

A Systematic Review published in 2012 in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine found that There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture for plantar heel pain comparable to that available for conventionally used interventions, such as stretching, night splints or dexamethasone. Five randomised controlled trials and three non-randomised comparative studies were included. High quality studies report significant benefits. In one, acupuncture was associated with significant improvement in pain and function when combined with standard treatment (including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). In another, acupuncture point PC7 improved pain and pressure pain threshold significantly more than LI4. Other papers were of lower quality but suggest benefits from other acupuncture approaches.

A Randomised Controlled Trial published in 2011 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture can provide pain relief to patients with plantar fasciitis. This study demonstrates that acupoint PC7 has a specific effect for treatment of plantar fasciitis, and that the method of acupuncture treatment is both simple and safe. Further studies comparing acupuncture treatment with an inert placebo and conventional treatment as parallel arms are recommended to further elucidate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for heel pain.

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