Fourteen patients aged between 12
and 82 years, all having been diagnosed with Metatarsalgia, took part in a
small pilot study. No patients presented symptoms suggestive of gout (e.g.
red or painful joints.), four patients had osteoparthritis of the proximal
metatarsal joint, two had had previous surgery for hammer toes, but the
remaining eight had no pathology which could be identified from
examination or X-ray.
A one inch, 32 gauge needle was
inserted fully across the forefoot at the base of the proximal 1st
metatarsal-phalangeal joint, parallel to the plantar surface of the foot,
left in place for 30-60 seconds before being removed without any further
stimulation. A second point was sometimes used on the extensor surface of
the big toe, but only if pain was elicited around the joint. Treatment was
repeated at one or two weekly intervals, but stopped if no improvement was
observed within three treatments.
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Thirteen out of the fourteen
patients who participated in the study showed improvement. One patient
required only one treatment, four required two treatments, six patients
required three, one patient four and one patient six treatments.
Over a follow up period of one year,
two patients experienced recurrence of their symptoms at 3 and 6 months
following the initial course of treatment respectively, but the remaining
patients in the study had no recurrence of symptoms.
The study concluded that the
benefits of acupuncture treatment for patients suffering with
Metatarsalgia ‘appeared long-lasting’ and although there was no
comparison between acupuncture and conventional treatment, ‘the results
are sufficiently encouraging to suggest that Metatarsalgia may be treated
by acupuncture alone and to warrant a trial comparing the effectiveness of
these different conservative treatments’.
