Question
Had chronic pain in left outer side of foot. My chiropractor did an adjustment with an activator I think its called on the 5th metatarsal & the pain is much worse after 2 adjustments to the point it hurts to weight bear? Was told this was expected & to rest & it will settle. Its day 3 & pain just as bad & foot feels like I'm walking on knots or one horrible bruise? Is this to be expected or can bone be displaced?

Answer
Leona,

The Activator instrument does not physically move a bone (unlike a manually-induced manipulative thrust, which takes the joint through its normal range of motion and then gaps the joint, usually producing an audible sound as the joint is manipulated). The Activator instrument is believed to work by stimulating the muscular attachments to the joint. Therefore, I would think it quite extremely unlikely that your foot joint is displaced as a result of an Activator adjustment.

It is not uncommon for a patient to experience soreness in a sensitive area after the application of some manual therapy. Usually this discomfort is short-lived. However, without knowing the full details of your clinical condition, I would suggest seeing a podiatrist if you are experiencing severe foot pain that is interfering with your normal daily activities.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.