Feet are often the forgotten part of the body when it comes to health. We focus on our heads, our hearts, and even our guts, but we often neglect our feet. And yet, they are so important! In this blog post, we will discuss the relationship between feet and low back pain. Many people suffer from back pain without realising that their feet may be to blame. Keep reading to learn more!
There are various types of foot deviations. Some people have fallen arches (known as pes planus or pronated feet) which can be mild, moderate or severe. Some have high arches (known as supinated feet). And some have normal arches that collapse when they stand (known as neutral or flexible feet). All these different kinds of deviations can cause or contribute to back and spinal pain Example: With flat feet, the foot rolls inwards as the long arch of the foot is collapsed, often due to overuse or injury. Flat feet can cause an imbalance in the body as more weight is borne on the inner foot and inner knees and so on. If we think of our body as a building, our feet, knees, hips, spine and head are stacked on top of each other. The stability of the spine depends on the feet to keep the body erect and balanced. When our feet are not balanced, the weight distribution is affected and this can lead to a chain reaction of misalignment up the body.
You can manage your foot deviations with exercises to sort out the muscular imbalances and orthotics to support the foot in a more neutral position. It is also vital to make sure that your shoes are not worn out and not in a state to support your feet in a good posture, especially if you walk or run in them. You can learn more about shoe health in my blog here.
The moral of the story is, don't ignore your feet! If you have pain in your feet, or they feel out of balance, it's best to address these issues. It could be the key to solving your low back pain.
If you're suffering from low back pain and want to learn self management strategies for your flat feet or back pain feel free to join my free community.
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