My podiatrist doesn't do ART but he gave me a name of a chiropractor that he knows that does ART. He just wasn't sure if he did ART on neuromas. He told me to call the chiroprator to find out. I called him and he said he does it on the plantar fasciitus and by working on that area, it will help free up the scar tissue in the nueroma area, because they are connected. That is not making much sense to me. They may be connected but I would think you would need to work right on the neuroma area.

Anyone who had ART done on their neuromas, does the chiropractor work on the plantar fasciitus area or did they work closer up to the toes where the tumor is located. I'm told that my neuroma is no longer the neuroma but the scar tissue left over from the neuroma surgery. But that scar tissue is just as hard as the neuroma was now.

I have no idea what ART is but there's no way I'd let a chiropractor touch my feet, or anything for that matter. Scar tissue is inevitable after surgery. Some people make more of it than others. Scar tissue needs to be broken up fairly soon after surgery, like within 10 weeks or it will harden up and attach itself to whatever is near.

Can someone Please explain ART??

I am curious...

Chiropractors have special training to do ART - it's a form of physical therapy. Chiropractors don't just adjust backs. ART is a form of deep massage that they do to break up scar tissue. Athletes use it alot during triathalons. Look it up and you will find more detailed info. Yes, people develop scar tissue and it is a normal process BUT at times it can grow around vital structures that need to move and glide and makes life very painful. It needs to be broken down and the best way to do that is with some intensive therapy and ART is an excellent therapy for this problem. AND working on the plantar fascia makes PERFECT anatomical sense. Go for a consultation and you will see. He will probably evaluate the whole lower extremity and work on other "tight spots". Please have an open mind and you will see a difference.

Snwtygr, you say working on the plantar fascia area makes perfect sense. What makes you say that? Wouldn't he want to be working on the area where the neuromas grow, right below the toes? I would think he would wanted to apply tension to the area where the neuromas grow, wouldn't he. What also scares me a little is he said he has never worked on neuromas before.

He told me he has a neuroma. His neuroma is control by correct shoes. If only we all could be so lucky. I wear the correct shoes and the orthotics but it never helped the pain. I instead went through the four surgeries and now I'm stuck with the left over scar tissue. I saw my podiatrist recently. He said the scar tissue in my left foot is now as hard as the neuroma orginally was. Just great.

This what I found at his website.

Active Release Technique (ART) is one of the most effective deep tissue techniques for breaking down scar tissue/adhesions and restoring function and movement. Active release technique involves the doctor locating adhesions that are causing the problem, applying tension with the thumbs over these lesions in the direction of the fibers, and then having the patient elongate the musculature while the doctor continues to apply tension to the lesion. By breaking up the adhesions and restoring proper blood flow to the tissues, the patients' condition will steadily improve.

The plantar fascia runs along the entire bottom of the foot up to the toes. Neuromas typically form toward the bottom of the foot. If you grew scar tissue post operatively that is painful it makes sense that it has adhered to the plantar fascia thus causing pain. If your incision was on the top of the foot I can see where you are confused. When that incision is used the Dr actually digs deep down to close to the bottom of the foot to get to the neuroma. When the incision is on the bottom of the foot there is less dissection to find the neuroma thus is preferred by some surgeons. Also plantar incisions can cause painful scar tissue post operatively due to weight bearing. There are pros and cons to the different incision locations. Either way, no matter which incision approach, since the neuroma is normally located close to the bottom of the foot where the plantar fascia resides and glides there is a high likelihood that the scar tissue is connected to it and ART or any other therapy to that area have the potential to produce benefits for you.

I have been diagnosed with Mortons Neuroma also but I have not experienced pain. What is have is a bunched up sock feeling when I walk as well as feeling as I if I am walking on pebbles. I have had 1 cortisone shot and then a series of 6 sclerosing injections which was supposed to have got rid of the funky feeling I am having in my foot. The injections didn't help at all and what it left me with is a nerve entrapment on the ball of my foot. It is sounding like surgery may be may only answer but who wants it if what they are experiencing is not pain. Do you know if ART would help with a neuroma if you have not had surgery, and what you have is a nerve entrapment but no pain.

Thanks...Sharon

Sharon, I don't know much about nerve entrapment but my guess would be not. I say that because I know ART works on scar tissue but Sharon definitely don't take my word for that. What you may want to do is look up ART and your state on the internet. See if you can find a good chiroprator that does ART. Call them and ask them if it would work for you or have you mentioned it to your podiatrist? What does he say?

I can tell you one thing Sharon, if you can find another way to get better without surgery, I would say go the other route because if they have to cut the nerves to get rid of nerve entrapment, you will be feeling pain. Depending upon the person, a lot of pain. But if the only way for you to treat it is surgery, then you have to decide if you can live with the fealing you have now. If you have surgery, most people are luckier than I am. They have good luck with them but in the beginning there obviously will be pain.

Snwtygr, thanks for the info. Have you ever heard of Graston technique? If so what do you know about it. It works on scar tissue but I don't think it is what I need. But then I really have no clue on this.

I had the surgery both ways on both feet. First cut from the top and then cut from the bottom.

ART is definitely my next move. It is only my real move. I just need to find the right chiropractor to do it. My insurance doesn't pay for a chiropractor. I will have to pay for it. I just don't want to pay for ten different ones trying to find the right one.