Many patients share stories of struggling with a calcaneal spur. That foot pain that feels like a scream every morning is truly difficult to endure. In Donguibogam, which holds the wisdom of our ancestors, the presence of a spur on the bone was not considered the sole problem in itself. Instead, it focused more deeply on why that pain began and what kind of balance in our body had been broken.
In Donguibogam, heel pain, or jongtong (θΈ΅η), was largely attributed to two main causes. The first is kidney deficiency (θ
θ), which is the weakening of kidney qi. The kidneys govern the foundation of all tissues in our body, such as bones, joints, and ligaments, and are deeply related to aging. When you overexert yourself for a long time or become exhausted from stress, depleting body fluids and weakening your vitality, kidney qi easily declines. Just as the branches of an old tree become brittle when its roots are not sturdy, when the kidneys weaken, supporting tissues such as bones and ligaments become fragile, easily sustaining damage even from minor impacts, slowing recovery, and allowing pain to become chronic.
The second cause was congestion and binding of wind-cold and dampness-heat (ι’¨ε―ζΏη±ε£
η΅), where external environmental factors such as wind, cold, dampness, and heat block the meridians. The qi and blood in our bodies must flow continuously like a river, but when a cold pathogen or dampness seeps into the body and stagnates, it disrupts blood circulation and the circulation of qi, much like debris piling up in a river. When heat that induces inflammation or the traveling energy of wind is added to this, qi and blood become tightly blocked in specific areas like the heel, generating stabbing pain. Excessive activity, exposure to cold environments, and poor dietary habits in modern life can all create damp-heat or blood stasis, causing pain in the feet. In this way, Donguibogam viewed heel pain not merely as a local issue, but as a sign that the harmony and balance of the entire body have been broken. Pain is a silent cry sent by your body.
