Some people mistakenly believe that while chiropractors do an excellent job of treating back pain, they may not always be the best choice for relieving pain affecting other parts of the body. Yes, back pain is the leading reason people visit a chiropractor, but it's certainly not the only reason. A new study has shown that for people experiencing a certain type of foot pain, chiropractic is not only effective, but also can relieve the pain where other methods have failed.

In the study, researchers treated 15 patients who had developed foot pain after undergoing a surgical procedure called plantar fasciotomy. Other therapies, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), shoe padding and rest, had been ineffective in relieving the pain. All of the patients were treated with manual therapy (consisting of joint mobilization and/or chiropractic manipulation to the joints in the foot and ankle) and home-based exercises, and then were asked to describe whether the pain had improved or remained the same.

Eleven patients in the group reported experiencing "significant improvement" in their foot pain as a result of chiropractic care; another three patients experienced "moderate" improvement. The treatment was not only effective, but quite safe, with no long-lasting complications associated with any of the procedures. The lesson here? If you suffer from pain and you're looking for a safe, natural alternative to drugs and surgery, schedule an appointment with your local doctor of chiropractic! For more information on the conditions chiropractic can treat, visit www.chiroweb.com/tellmeabout.

Reference:

Wyatt LH. Conservative chiropractic management of recalcitrant foot pain after fasciotomy: a retrospective case review. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics June 2006;29(5):398-402.