Electro-acupuncture (EA) coupled with conventional treatment is more effective than conventional treatment for plantar fasciitis, according to a pilot study carried out in Thailand. Thirty patients with chronic refractory plantar fasciitis were randomly assigned to two groups. Subjects in the control group received five weeks of conventional treatment, including stretching exercises, shoe modification and analgesics. Subjects in the acupuncture group received the same treatments plus ten twice-weekly sessions of electro-acupuncture. At the end of treatment, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores were found to have decreased significantly in both the acupuncture and control groups. However, Foot Function Index (a measure of the impact of foot pathology on foot function in terms of pain, disability and activity restriction) decreased significantly in the acupuncture group only. With successful treatment defined as a minimum 50% decrease in VAS, subjects in the acupuncture group experienced significantly higher success rates than those in control group (80% versus 13.3%, respectively), which were maintained at six-week follow-up.

Efficacy of electro-acupuncture in chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Chin Med. 2012;40(6):1167-76.