If you've ever suffered from back pain, you know how debilitating it can be. Over 80% of the population in the U.S. complains of back pain, making it a very common occurrence. Therefore, it is important for us to understand what causes it. For many, our feet are the likely culprit.
While our bodies take a long time to evolve, technology does not. Our feet were not designed to walk on the hard surfaces of tile, marble, wood, and concrete. Our feet do better on natural terrains like grass, sand, dirt, and mud. These softer surfaces have more forgiveness and better conform to the shape and structure of our feet. This supports the arches of the foot, and causes the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the foot and ankle to work in a supportive fashion.
Your Low Back & Feet
Your body has three parts that work to absorb shock: your feet, knees, and lower back. If your feet are flat, they cannot properly absorb shock which leads to your knees working overtime to absorb shock. Your body can only handle that for so long, and eventually the lower back begins to take on the majority of the work. This will cause wear on your back pretty quickly, especially if your pelvis or spine is misaligned.
To prevent this from happening to you, follow these tips:
- Stay away from shoes like flipflops that provide limited support. Wear shoes with good arch support and ones that help to absorb shock.
- To ensure proper support, consider custom orthotics. If you are interested, ask us about foot levelers.
- Come in to our practice for regular adjustments to your spine, pelvis, and lower extremities.
If you are looking for more ways to combat lower back pain, ask us during your next visit.