Neural mechanism of acupuncture in patient with chronic plantar fasciitis: an resting state fMRI study

INTERVENTION: Waitlist control group:Participants will receive no treatment for their heel pain for a period of 16 weeks after randomisation, and subsequently have the option of 4 weeks (12 sessions) of acupuncture free of charge at the end of the follow‐ up period.;control group:Acupuncture at sham Ashi (0.5 cun away from Ashi, one 'cun' is equivalent to the greatest width of the individual patients' thumb, 1.5 cm), sham BL57 (0.5 cun lateral to the true BL57 horizontally), sham KI3 (midway between the true KI3 and the heel tendon) and sham BL60 (midway between the true BL60 and the heel tendon) .;experimental group:Acupuncture at Ashi points as well as the Chengshan (BL57), Taixi (KI3) and Kunlun (BL60) acupoints.; CONDITION: plantar fasciitis PRIMARY OUTCOME: Foot and Ankle Ability Measure,FAAM;Participant global assessment of improvement;Pressure pain threshold;ankle range of motion;pain intensity at first steps in the morning;fMRI;worst pain intensity in day time ;average pain intensity in day time;average worst pain intensity ; INCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) Participants with clinical diagnosis of chronic plantar fasciitis. History of plantar medial heel pain for at least 6 months before enrolment. Failure to respond to conservative treatment for =1month, including any of the following modalities: stretching exercises, NSAIDs, shockwave therapy, dry needling and orthotics; (2) Reported an average worst pain intensity at first steps in the morning over the last 3 days of at least 50 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) before enrolment; (3) Participants from 18 to 75 years of age; (4) No other acute or chronic painful conditions; (5) Right‐handedness; (6) Participants who have voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and have signed written informed consent.