Hand, Foot & Extremity Care
Hand & Foot Chiropractor in Wilmington, NC
Chiropractic doesn't have to stop at the neck and back. King Chiropractic Hand & Foot Clinic has a specialized focus on the joints at the ends of your limbs — the ones you use every hour of the day and notice most when they stop working well.
Hand & foot chiropractic care in Wilmington
Most people are introduced to chiropractic through back or neck pain, and spinal care remains a core part of what we do. But hands, wrists, feet and ankles are made up of dozens of small joints that can lose motion, get irritated, and change the way you move — and they're often overlooked.
Dr. Rhett King has extensive specialized training in extremity adjustments, which allows the practice to address areas beyond traditional spinal chiropractic care. He has been serving Wilmington and the surrounding area since 2009. You can read more about his background and the team, or see the full list of clinical services offered here.
The case for extremity care
Why extremities may need attention too.
A wrist has eight small bones. An ankle and foot together have more than two dozen. Each of those joints is meant to glide a little. When one or several stop moving the way they should — after an injury, a long stretch of repetitive work, or years of accumulated wear — the surrounding tissue usually takes on the extra load.
That's often why symptoms show up somewhere other than the original problem: a stiff ankle can change how you push off, and that altered stride can be felt at the knee, hip or low back. Restoring motion where it's been lost, and calming the tissue that's been compensating, is the practical goal of extremity care.
Chiropractic care isn't a cure for these conditions and results vary from person to person. The value of an evaluation is finding out what's actually restricted and whether hands-on care is a reasonable place to start.
Hand & wrist concerns we see
- Carpal tunnel symptoms — numbness, tingling or night-time hand pain
- Wrist stiffness and loss of rotation
- Repetitive strain from keyboards, tools, or racquet and club sports
- Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow affecting grip
- Thumb and finger joint restriction
- Lingering stiffness after a sprain or fracture has healed
Foot & ankle concerns we see
- Plantar fasciitis and heel pain, especially first steps in the morning
- Achilles tendon pain and stiffness
- Ankle restriction after repeated sprains
- Arch pain and fatigue from long hours on your feet
- Forefoot and toe joint pain
- Foot mechanics contributing to knee, hip or low back discomfort
This isn't a diagnostic list — several of these complaints share symptoms. Part of the first visit is sorting out which one you're dealing with.
Our approach
Assess first, then treat what you find.
Care starts with a conversation and a physical exam of how the joint and the joints around it move. From there, Dr. King draws on the tools already in the practice, matched to the problem rather than applied by default:
Extra-spinal joint adjustments
Specific, low-force work on the small joints of the hands, wrists, feet and ankles to restore motion.
Soft tissue release
Manual and instrument-assisted techniques for the muscles, tendons and fascia that have been compensating.
Shockwave therapy
Focused acoustic therapy often used for stubborn tendon-related complaints.
Class 4 laser therapy
Deep-tissue laser used alongside hands-on care for joint, muscle and tendon conditions.
Spinal care when it's relevant
Extremity symptoms sometimes trace back to the neck or low back, so the spine gets checked too.
Custom orthotics
When foot mechanics are part of the picture, Sole Supports custom orthotics may be discussed — more on our orthotics page.
If footwear and arch support turn out to be part of the problem, you can read about custom orthotics at our Wilmington clinic.
For athletes and active patients.
Runners, golfers, tennis and pickleball players, lifters and people whose jobs are physical all tend to load the same tissues over and over. Hands, wrists, ankles and feet absorb a lot of that, and small restrictions there can quietly reshape a swing, a stride or a lift.
Our office sits alongside a full gym and physical therapy practice, which makes it straightforward to fit chiropractic care into training rather than treating it as a separate errand. Sports and auto injuries are among the complaints we regularly see.
Timing
When it's worth getting evaluated.
Sudden severe pain, an obvious deformity, an inability to bear weight, or signs of infection warrant urgent medical attention rather than a chiropractic appointment.
Why patients choose King Chiropractic Hand & Foot.
Serving Wilmington since 2009
The clinic has cared for patients here and in the surrounding communities for over 15 years.
15+ years of clinical experience
Dr. Rhett King, D.C. is a highly rated chiropractor known for safe, non-invasive care.
Specialized extremity training
Extensive specialized training in extremity adjustments — the hands, feet and joints that move you through every day.
A focus that's uncommon
Hand, foot and extremity chiropractic care is a defining focus of the practice, not a side offering.
Beyond the spine
Care extends to every joint that carries you — wrists, ankles, shoulders and knees included.
Walk-ins welcome
Scheduling ahead guarantees your spot, but you don't have to wait weeks to be seen.
FAQ
Common questions.
Is a hand or foot chiropractor different from a regular chiropractor?+
The training is the same foundation, but the focus differs. Along with spinal care, Dr. King has extensive specialized training in extremity adjustments, so the joints of the hands, wrists, feet and ankles are a routine part of what he evaluates and treats rather than an afterthought.
What happens at a first visit?+
Plan for about 45 minutes. You'll talk through your history and goals with Dr. King, have a full diagnostic exam of your structural alignment, and in most cases begin care the same day.
Do you accept insurance?+
Insurance is NOT accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid. King Chiropractic operates on a cash-based model, with memberships available for existing patients. The $49 new patient special covers your consult, exam and first week of treatment.
Do I need an appointment?+
Walk-ins are welcome, though scheduling ahead guarantees your spot — especially for a first visit.
Can chiropractic care fix carpal tunnel or plantar fasciitis?+
No responsible provider can promise that. What we can do is assess how the joints, soft tissue and mechanics of the affected area are working, treat what we find, and track your response. If your situation calls for care outside our scope, we'll tell you.
Have a question that isn't here? Get in touch with the clinic — we're at 6934 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28411.
New patients
Start with an evaluation.
The $49 new patient visit covers your consult, a full exam of your structural alignment, and your first week of treatment. Not sure we're the right fit? Call and ask — we'd rather point you in the right direction than book the wrong visit.