Many of us are on our feet all day long – whether working, training, or on the track, it’s reasonable to expect some pain and discomfort. This pain can turn into a long-term concern when pain in your feet starts to impede your ability to walk – even for short distances. In many cases, acupuncture for foot pain can help you (literally) get back on your feet in no time.
Common ailments in the feet include plantar fasciitis, a ligament strain that can affect the whole of your foot. Your plantar fascia ligament connects the front of your foot to the heel – and when this strains, you may start to feel shooting pain that travels from the feet up the legs.
Plantar fasciitis is commonly caused by excessive pressure added to the feet. This may result from poorly-fitted footwear, intensive exercise, or excess weight. Ultimately, it’s a condition that worsens as pressure mounts up. Acupuncture administered by a professional can help alleviate symptoms and prepare your feet for further exercise.
Is acupuncture recommended for foot pain?
Acupuncture is proven to help alleviate common pains and strains in the feet, with studies showing that programs of four to eight weeks may help to reduce pain related to plantar fasciitis.
Beyond plantar fasciitis, acupuncture can help to relieve tension via trigger points associated with the feet and help redirect oxygen and blood flow. Traditional acupuncture is associated with restoring flexibility across the nervous network – and given that each foot possesses more than 7,000 nerve endings, it’s not surprising that so many people with foot pain benefit from the practice.
Acupuncture helps to stimulate these nerve endings – thus ensuring pain regulation hormones are dispersed across affected areas. Additionally, needling can also help to reduce inflammation in affected points – and thus help to reverse the effects of ligament strain such as plantar fasciitis.
Over time, fibroblast released through acupuncture can further help to promote tissue healing. This means torn tissue in your feet could benefit from protein release (such as collagen) to rebuild and repair damaged areas.
Studies into acupuncture’s effectiveness in foot pain are always ongoing, particularly thanks to various conditions that may occur to our feet at any time. While prevention may be as simple as taking care with better-fitting shoes and understanding our physical limits, regular acupuncture is perhaps the most efficient measure.
Should I book acupuncture for foot pain?
Unsurprisingly, foot pain is common among people who work on their feet for several hours a day and among active people who jog or run for leisure. Such pain is likely to be even more common for professional athletes and sportspeople. Regardless, if you find walking (let alone jogging) uncomfortable, it’s worth considering booking in for acupuncture.
Contrary to some beliefs, acupuncture is not a painful procedure – you may experience some pressure and a feeling of warmth. Still, you’re likely to leave an initial session feeling better than when you walked in. Acupuncture for foot pain may not even result in needles in your feet, either – as specialists will work with a map of trigger points to ascertain how to release blood and oxygen towards the affected areas most efficiently.
Acupuncture can be highly therapeutic, can provide instant pain relief, and is relied upon by millions of athletes and sportspeople. Regular acupuncture for your feet could help to protect your plantar fascia from growing inflamed, for example. At your first acupuncture session, you’ll have the chance to discuss your current concerns and future needs with your specialist to lay out a treatment plan that supports your every step.
Your acupuncture session and what it looks like
At Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture, we welcome all visitors to undertake a strength assessment before we discuss any treatment options. Regardless of whether you are suffering from foot pain or straining in your legs and calves, our clinic must understand your physical form – and what you’d like the outcome of your sessions to be.
Your initial acupuncture session will occur once you’re happy to move ahead. Depending on the cause of pain in your feet, we may discuss other interventions including soft tissue mobilization, cupping, or electrostimulation if we believe these therapies hold potential benefits for you in the long term. You’ll be asked to settle into a comfortable position, where the needling process can gently begin.
Your specialist will then carefully insert needles into points across your body symmetrically. This may or may not be in your feet directly – as the blood and oxygen your points need may arrive from further up your legs or even beyond. During the session, you’ll feel a little warm across the needled points and may feel a slight pressure. Rest assured, your provider uses only sterile, single-use, disposable needles and monitors you during the entire treatment for rest and comfort.
At the end of the session, you may find that the pain in your feet dissipates completely! First-time attendees are also likely to experience more than 50% increased mobility after just a short acupuncture session for foot pain. You’ll regain confidence and flexibility from just one visit – but to ensure your muscles and joints can continue benefiting from acupuncture’s healing properties, it’s important to book regular sessions for as long as a specialist and/or physician recommends.
Ready to book?
Booking acupuncture for foot pain may seem scary at first. Remember that millions of people – for centuries past – rely on these treatments to help eradicate pain and regain mobility (and stability). Regardless of your activity level, you’re likely dependent on your feet to get you to where you need to be – which means they demand particular care and attention as years go by.
If pain in your feet is starting to impede your work, training, or leisure activities, it may be time to do more than top up with painkillers alone. Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture presents a gentle, professional approach to targeted acupuncture – helping you to make the most out of life without unnecessary discomfort.
Book your first session with us now – and let’s get you walking (or even running) back down the road to recovery.
