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Dr. Power Asks...
Are Your Feet Killing Your Back?
They carry us everywhere we want to go and support virtually every sized and shaped body frame. They are thrust into narrow spaces, where they are pinched, or raised up on four-inch platforms to give us height. They fall victim to bunions, calluses, plantar warts, and blisters and we subject them to hot sand, hard gravel and stones in the summer. Once in awhile we treat them to a pedicure – how nice! And believe it or not – they may actually be the cause of that pain in your lower back! We’re talking about feet.
Perhaps the most important part of our feet are the arches. Normal arches are built to be strong and flexible, like “shock absorbers,” to provide the balance necessary to support the body. When arches are flat, the muscles in the lower back become strained as they work harder to balance the body over both feet.
One way to compensate for low arches and to reduce back pain is to invest in some good foot orthotics. Worn in each shoe, orthotics bring back form and function to the feet so that proper balance can be restored. In order to heal, it’s important to wear orthotics in your shoes whenever you’re standing, walking, running or biking. Part–time use will offer little help.
Orthotics can be made to accommodate any size foot. They usually replace your current shoe insole. By changing the way your feet work, which can relieve the muscle strain, and therefore, the pain in your lower back. Many notice more energy and less fatigue.
Of course, orthotics are merely adjuncts to something even more important: your chiropractic adjustments! Contact us for a thorough examination if you are experiencing low back pain, whatever the source. We're just a phone call away!
