Researchers at Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Plymouth, undertaking a systematic review of studies conducted on the effectiveness of acupuncture for heel pain, have concluded that acupuncture is as effective as conventional treatments such as stretching or steroid injections. They looked at five randomised controlled trials and three non-randomised comparative studies. There were significant benefits from acupuncture treatment, and the review authors conclude that acupuncture should be considered in the recommendations for management of plantar heel pain. Future research should acknowledge the complexity of both plantar heel pain and acupuncture as an intervention, and the relationship between the two.
(The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Plantar Heel Pain: A Systematic Review. Acupuncture in Medicine, December 2012.)