BACKGROUND: Morton's neuroma is a common cause of pain that radiates from 
between the third and fourth metatarsals and which, when symptomatic, creates 
sensations of burning or sharp pain and numbness on the forefoot. Many 
conservative and surgical interventions are employed to reduce associated pain, 
but not enough research has been conducted to recommend patients to any one 
approach as the most reliable source of pain management.
PURPOSE: The objective of this case report is to describe the effect of massage 
therapy on one woman with symptomatic Morton's neuroma.
PARTICIPANT: A physically active 25-year-old female with diagnosed symptomatic 
Morton's neuroma who has not found relief with previous conservative 
intervention.
INTERVENTION: Six session of massage therapy once weekly for 60-75 minutes 
focused on postural alignment and localized foot and leg treatment. The client 
also completed an at-home exercise each day. Change was monitored each week by 
the massage therapist reassessing posture and by the client filling out a pain 
survey based on a Visual Analog Scale.
RESULTS: The client reported progressive change in the character of the pain 
from burning and stabbing before the first session to a dull, pulsing sensation 
after the third session. She also recorded a reduction in pain during exercise 
from a 5/10 to 0/10 (on a scale where 10 is extreme pain).
CONCLUSION: This study describes how massage therapy reduced pain from Morton's 
neuroma for one client; however, larger randomized control studies need to be 
done in order to determine the short- and long-term effects of massage therapy 
on this painful condition.