Case report
Management of Post-traumatic Arthritis (Chronic Foot Pain) with Ayurvedic Intervention: A Case Report
JD01-JD03
Correspondence
Dr. Sheetal Uttam Roman,
Professor and Head, Department of Kriya Sharir, Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Centre, Sant Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: sheetal.roman@dpu.edu.in
Post-traumatic arthritis accounts for 12% of osteoarthritis cases, with conventional management focusing primarily on symptomatic relief. The present case demonstrates significant effectiveness of integrated Ayurvedic management in chronic post-traumatic foot pain with the combination of internal medications and Jalaukavacharana (leech therapy) addressing both local and systemic aspects, offering a promising alternative for managing chronic post-traumatic arthritis. A 35-year-old male presented with chronic left foot pain, stiffness, and cold sensitivity persisting for 2.5 years following an accidental fall. Conventional treatments provided only temporary relief. Clinical examination revealed plantar tenderness, restricted foot movements, morning stiffness, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain rating of 8/10 with dorsiflexion limited to 10°. Based on Ayurvedic diagnosis of vatarakta, the patient received oral medications (Kaishor Guggulu, Amrutadi Guggulu, Eranda Taila, and Guduchi decoction) and Jalaukavacharana (leech therapy) on the ankle joint. After 1.5 months of treatment, complete symptom resolution was achieved with VAS decreasing to 0/10, elimination of morning stiffness, improved dorsiflexion to 20°, normal walking without pain, and no cold sensitivity. The successful outcomes highlight the potential of traditional Ayurvedic approaches in addressing complex musculoskeletal conditions.