Heel pain

Heel pain is a common complaint that can considerably limit walking, standing and exercise. Many people recognise the sharp pain during the first steps out of bed or after sitting for a while. As the foot gets going a little, the pain often decreases, only to return later in the day with prolonged strain.

The cause of heel pain can vary greatly. Sometimes the complaint arises after a period of overuse or intensive exercise, while in others it is prolonged standing, an abnormal foot position or an underlying condition that plays a role. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are regularly used as a complementary treatment for both acute and long-standing heel complaints.

Western conditions in which heel pain can occur

Heel pain is a symptom and not a diagnosis. The complaint can occur with, among others:

Not everyone with heel pain has a clear abnormality on a scan or X-ray. Even without visible damage, tendons, muscles and connective tissue can become irritated for a long time.

Possible causes

There are various factors that can increase the risk of heel pain, including:

Heel pain often arises not from one single cause, but from a combination of strain and a reduced capacity of the tissue to recover.

What can acupuncture do for heel pain?

Acupuncture treatment is tailored to your personal situation. In doing so, we look not only at the location of the pain, but also at factors such as the duration of the complaints, the strain on the foot, your general health and any underlying conditions. Over the course of the treatment, the treatment can be adjusted as the complaints change.

Depending on the cause, acupuncture can, among other things, be aimed at:

Acupuncture can be combined well with physiotherapy, podiatry, exercise therapy or adjustments to footwear and insoles.

What can Chinese herbal medicine do?

Chinese herbs are often used as a complement to acupuncture. Where acupuncture provides local and functional support during treatment, herbs can nourish the body daily from within in between treatments. The herbal formula is tailored to your personal situation and can be adjusted over the course of the treatment.

Depending on the cause of the heel pain, Chinese herbs can, among other things, be used to:

Not everyone with heel pain needs herbs. For some people acupuncture is sufficient, while for long-standing or recurring complaints a combination of both forms of treatment may be appropriate.

How does Chinese medicine view heel pain?

In Western medicine the diagnosis is usually central, such as plantar fasciitis or a heel spur. In Chinese medicine we also look at which bodily functions have become out of balance and why the complaints have arisen or persist in a given person.

For pain complaints such as heel pain, the focus is mainly on the flow of Qi and Blood in the meridians that run through the heel area. When this flow is disrupted — for example through overuse, an injury, or the entry of Cold, Damp or Heat — pain and stiffness can arise. In long-standing or recurring heel pain, the Liver, which nourishes the tendons, and the Kidney, which nourishes the bones and joints, also often play a role. This explains why heel pain is more often persistent at an older age or after years of overuse.

A recognisable combination of symptoms that together points to a particular disruption is called a pattern in Chinese medicine. As a result, two people with the same diagnosis can nevertheless receive a different treatment. The patterns that occur most often with heel pain are:

Obstructed flow (Qi and Blood stagnation)

This pattern often arises after overuse, a sports injury or earlier damage to the heel. The flow becomes locally disrupted, causing the pain to persist.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

Cold and damp (Wind-Cold-Damp)

In some people cold and damp play a clear role. The heel feels stiff, heavy or cold and the complaints increase in cold or damp weather.

Characteristic symptoms are:

Warmth and inflammation (Damp-Heat)

Here there is, on the contrary, warmth and an inflammation-like picture.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

Insufficient nourishment of the tissue (Qi and Blood deficiency)

When muscles, tendons and connective tissue are insufficiently nourished, the heel can become more sensitive to strain and recovery proceeds more slowly.

The following often also occur:

Reduced nourishment of tendons and bones (Liver and Kidney deficiency)

With long-standing or chronic heel pain, a reduced nourishment of tendons, joints and bones is regularly seen. This pattern occurs more often at an older age or after years of overuse.

Complaints that may fit with this are:

Prognosis

The prognosis depends on the cause and the duration of the complaints. When the heel pain has arisen recently through overuse, improvement is often seen relatively quickly. For long-standing complaints, plantar fasciitis or a heel spur, more time is usually needed and several treatments are required to support recovery.

In the initial phase, one treatment per week is often chosen. As the complaints improve, the time between treatments can usually be increased. The treatment plan is continually adjusted to recovery and progress.

Contact

Do you suffer from heel pain and would you like to know whether acupuncture can mean something for you? During a first consultation we discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors in detail. On that basis a treatment plan is drawn up that suits your situation. You can book an appointment online right away or get in touch for more information.

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