Got Lower Back Pain? Here’s Why You Should Check Your Feet
If you’re living with chronic lower back pain, you’re not alone: 8% of American adults experience this problem. Unfortunately, many people continue suffering because there’s no clear cause for their discomfort. But, as your Westfield, IN podiatrist, Dr. David Sullivan wants you to know: the key to solving lower back pain could lie in your feet!
Lower Back Pain and Your Feet: A Nervy Connection
Can’t figure out what’s causing that lower back pain? The answer could be your sciatic nerve which, despite its singular name, it’s actually a group of five nerves. But what does this have to do with your feet? Well, this nerve bundle runs from the lower part of your spine and down through your legs. If something pinches or presses on the sciatic nerve, you may experience pain in your back and your feet.
Similarly, a Morton’s neuroma could be causing your back pain. This ball of foot pain trigger develops because a nerve in your foot gets inflamed. But that painful inflammation often makes you limp or distribute pressure unevenly across your feet. As a result, your back picks up some of the slack. And that, again, can lead to pain.
The Link Between Foot Structure and Back Pain
Often, biomechanical problems with your feet can trigger back pain. If you have a leg-length discrepancy (one leg is longer than the other), this can impact the way you walk and leave you with back pain. Even something simple like a flat foot can cause back pain. How? Well, a low arch can change your posture, making your lower back curve more than it should. In turn, this can leave you with low back pain.
Similarly, the way your feet turn—called pronation—also impacts your back. If your feet overpronate, or turn inward when you walk or run, you may notice back and knee pain. Or, if you supinate—your feet turn outward—you can impact your spinal alignment. Soon, lower back pain will come calling.
Foot Conditions that Cause Back Pain
Some foot problems spread pain throughout your lower body. And that includes your back. One common offender? Plantar Fasciitis, a condition that develops when the ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot becomes inflamed. Typically, this causes heel and arch pain. But untreated plantar fasciitis can also lead to lower back pain, as the trouble in your feet impacts your gait.
Even a bunion could explain your lower back pain. When your foot changes shape because of this growth, your posture changes, too. And that can lead to back pain, especially since bunions can also make it harder to fit into supportive, close-toed shoes.
How Your Shoes Can Save Your Back
As we mentioned before, having a low arch can lead to back pain. But even if your arch height is typical, wearing shoes without enough arch support can also lead to back pain. (We see you, flip flops. And we know you’re to blame!) High heels can also lead to lower back pain, especially stilettoes, since they affect your posture and center of gravity. Together, this combination can cause back and joint pain.
Are you living with lower back pain and can’t find relief? The answer could lie in your feet, so we suggest scheduling an appointment as soon as possible. Whether we fit you for supportive orthotics or treat your nerve or tendon inflammation, the treatment we provide could be the solution to your lower back pain.