Plantar Fasciitis
Chinese Medicine and Self-care Strategies for Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis involves inflammation of a thick band of facia that runs across the bottom of each foot. Typically, facia has great tensile strength; it has been used to make tennis racket strings. Using Chinese medical self-care to effectively resolve this type of foot pain involves determining which pattern of imbalance is causing the facia inflammation or loss of tenacity. In this way, you can target the cause and formulate your own personal protocol strategy.
For best outcomes using self-care, combine associated Aroma Acu-Sticks® to acu-points, topical remedies, and good lifestyle practices.
Aroma Acupressure Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis
Find the related Channels and Acupressure Directions Here!
- Apply the Water Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Kidney 3
- Apply the Water Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Kidney 1
- Apply the Earth Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Spleen 6
- Apply the Earth Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Stomach 36
- Apply the Wood Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Liver 3
Patterns of Imbalance Causing Plantar Fasciitis
In patterns of deficiency, the energetic organ systems are not nourished and cannot produce adequate Qi and Blood to nourish the tendons of the foot and fascia or the channels that traverse the feet.
Spleen Qi Deficiency Causing Plantar Fasciitis
This pattern often happens when someone has a constitutional Spleen Qi Deficiency and then overuses their feet through intense exercise. However, it can come on without any aggravating factor such as trauma or sports injury if Qi Deficiency has persisted for a matter of time. Aging, weight gain, and working on one's feet for too many hours may also result in plantar fasciitis related to Qi Deficiency. Weight gain can aggravate foot pain, but it is difficult to lose weight when one cannot walk, so consider lower impact exercises such as a row machine.
Damp Bi Causing Foot Pain
Prolonged Spleen Qi Deficiency can also result in pathogenic Internal Dampness that blocks the smooth flow of Qi and Blood. Athletes who are exposed to external wet conditions can also develop this pattern of pain. The pain will worsen in Damp conditions and/or the feet will feel heavy.
Cold-Invasion Causing Foot Pain
A Wind-Cold Invasion often combines with Dampness when athletes have to perform outdoors in cold weather. Because one is sweating during exertion, the pores open and make one more vulnerable to a Wind-Cold invasion. If Cold predominates, the pain will be fixed and sharp and will be relieved by warmth, such as a warm foot soak.
Liver Blood Deficiency Causing Plantar Fasciitis
Liver Blood nourishes the tendons and one would look for patterns of Liver Qi Stagnation if this imbalances is part of the pain syndrome you are experiencing.
Kidney Deficiency and Plantar Fasciitis
The sole of the foot is where the Kidney Acupressure Channel emerges near to ball of the front of the foot. When this channel is blocked by stagnation of Qi and/or Blood, pain develops. Additionally, Kidney Yin nourishes Liver Yin and Blood is a Yin substance.
Stagnation of Qi and Blood Causing Plantar Fasciitis
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are many different causes of foot pain. Qi and/or Blood Stagnation are necessary elements for pain to occur so it would generally be assumed that some elements of these patterns will apply to any condition causing foot pain. Where Qi goes, Blood goes; where Blood goes, Qi goes according to Chinese medical theory. So when one imbalance occurs the other is implied. However, there could be stronger elements of either Blood or Qi stagnation obstructing the flow of energy of the channels that course the shoulder depending on how the pain syndrome presents. 
Blood Stagnation of the Channels of the Feet
When there is severe Blood Stagnation, the pain tends to be sharp and sensitive to pressure. Add to general Aroma Acu-therapy protocol above: Apply the Earth Element Acupressure Stick to Acupressure Point Spleen 10
Qi Stagnation of the Channels of the Feet
Qi stagnation of the feet is often caused by overwork, receptive strain from sports, or weight gain. The pain in this case would feel distended and would be aggravated with fatigue. One would want to avoid the activity that led to the injury while pursuing self-care through Aroma Acu-therapy, therapeutic botanical foot soaks, and topical Dit Da Jow applications daily.
Using Chinese Medical Channel Theory for Self-care
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that connects your heel bone to the base of your toes. It supports the arch of the foot and absorbs shock when walking as fascia is springy when healthy. It is theorized that Qi energy moves throughout the body along acupuncture channels located between the fascia as fascia conducts energy efficiently and is related to every organ and muscle in the body. Therefore, fascia responds well to the stimulation of acu-points.
If pain radiates up the leg from the foot, determining the channels impacted can further narrow down your search for the energetic organ system imbalances causing blockages of channels with Qi and/or Blood Stagnation causing your pain; in other words, if points along a specific channel are tender with palpation, the related organ is implicated. The energetic acupuncture channels that are typically implicated with foot pain include the Kidney Acupressure Channel, the Spleen Channel, and the Liver Channel. Self-care Aroma Acu-Therapy Points can be chosen by Channel Theory as described linked here.
Pro Tips:
- It is not necessary to choose points located directly above pain; master practitioners often use distal points to the pain and often state that the points located the furthest from the pain are the most effective.
- Palpating points along the channels can help determine an effective protocol as the most tender points are often the most appropriate points to apply Aroma Acu-Therapy™.
- We provide detailed information for many commonly used acupressure points; you can research the related articles to see which points are the most appropriate for your specific condition.
- Keep in mind that you are trying to apply Aroma Acu-therapy to only 5-8 points daily for a focused therapy.
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This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.