We see a lot of people in the clinic with long-standing back pain. Pain that just won’t go. And it isn’t through lack of effort with the average patient having seen many a practitioner before coming to our door, even some having succumbed to injections or the surgical knife. But sometimes results are limited by a simple, often overlooked problem. Your feet!

Your feet are a complex organisation of small bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments that result in a peculiar but stable structure. However, the feet were originally designed for soft surfaces to mold and bend around soft sand, mud, and another natural terrain. Hardly the concrete jungles of today. Once more the shoes you now use put your feet in a “straight jacket” for the majority of the day with little to no flexibility.

Over time, the poor support for your feet will show. Bunions and “flat feet” are now very common. And the knock on effects are all too often felt in the Lower Back.

How Are Your Feet Connected To Your Lower Back?

The feet are continued to the lower back through the leg and pelvis. As the normal foot structure begins to change after 5-10 years in “smart corporate shoes” the effect causes twisting of the legs. This effect might seem of little importance at first glance. A couple of degrees change at your ankle. However, this has the result of a great change in muscle tension and even a chance in “leg length”.

These changes drive up from the ground and meet the effect coming down from gravity at the lower back. On top of this uneven and twisted change, the shock absorbing roll of the feet begins to fade, making the knees work harder as well as the lower back. This can only last so long. The Lower back requires support from below to be able to transmit forces up and down the body effectively. Quite often in cases of “flat feet” the pelvis starts to roll forwards. This is known as Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT). Changes to the normal position of the lower back weaken things further and this quite often puts up a strong barrier to healing.

The Good News

Although this sounds very grim, there is hope! If you are someone that suffers from repeated lower back pain and is concerned that your feet haven’t been taken into account here are a few simple tips for you!

Wear Good Structured & Supportive Footwear That Can Absorb Shock. This eases the burden on your lower back allowing any irritation and inflammation to heal more easily.

Consider The Use Of Orthotics. Also called insoles, these can help with returning your foot to a natural and normal position. A firm orthotic will work wonders in your work shoes to hold and support your foot in the right position so the lower back (and knees) can work effectively.

Treatment to Your Spine. By treating your spine at the same time as addressing foot trouble, you can really help speed up your recovery and return to doing the things you want!

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