Expert: Dr. Kevin D. Kanz - 6/30/2004

Question
Can applied kinesiology and nutritional supplements cure a bone cyst (in the bone) in the first metatarsal?  I have had two treatments with a chiropractor and want to know if I am spending money (not covered by insurance) foolishly.

Answer
Dear Cathy,

I'm not an expert in applied kinesiology so I cannot completely answer your question.  However, there are a number of "simple bone cysts" that do respond to conservative care and appropriate diatary nutrition (assuming that your bone cyst has been properly diagnosed and is benign.  The vast majority of bone cysts visualized on x-ray are of the benign variety(not a true neoplasm). These are generally referred to as unicameral  bone cyst, solitary bone cyst or juvenile bone cyst.  Eighty percent of these occur in the 3-14 age range with a 2:1 male predominance. Most bone cyst lesions are clinically silent until pathological fracture occurs, and these are most prominant in the humerous or proximal femur.

If you have not yet experienced a fracture or other gross instability, you should confirm your diagnosis with a proper radiological examination. It is essential that you confirm medically that this is a simple benign bone cyst, as these lesions may often mask more severe bone diseases.

If there is not significant pain or a risk of pathological fracture, then conservative care is a good clinical starting place.

If the condition does progress to fracture or instability, then surgical curattage and bone chip replacement is the most common mode of treatment. Unfortunately, recurrance rates with curettage are generally 30-40 percent.

Your only other medical alternative is steriod injections.  Faced with these options, AK and nutritional supplementation doesn't sound so bad.  

Unfortunately, there has been little publication in the scientific literature supporting applied kinesiology and nutritional supplements as a cure for bone cyst lesions.

Hope this helps.
~Dr.K