Your Feet and Lower Back Pain
Commonly, we see people who have been to see a Physiotherapist or Chiropractor to treat their back pain only to be told its their feet that are the problem! But what do feet have to do with back pain, and how can Podiatrists help you?
Estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014–15 National Health Survey show about 3.7 million Australians (16% of the population) have back problems and it is estimated that 70–90% of people will suffer from lower back pain in some form at some point in their lives.
Treatment for lower back pain can include massage, strengthening, manipulation, stretching and sometimes even surgery. Often we see people come to see us after they have exhausted all other options.
How Can My Feet Cause My Sore Back?
There can be a number of reasons why your feet can give you a sore back - including foot function, poor footwear and leg length difference.
1. Foot Function - Think of your feet like the wheels on a car - if they are out of alignment nothing else can work very well either. A flat foot, or low arched foot may increase internal rotation in your legs and hips, hence creating tension in the muscles of your lower back. A high arched foot tends to be very rigid, so does allow you to have appropriate shock absorption which therefore can increase shock through the lower back.
2. Unsupportive Footwear - Unsupportive footwear may intensify any foot problems you already have. If you recognise that you do not wear very supportive shoes, it would be advisable to change your footwear to a shoe that has cushioning and support to see if this can improve your lower back pain.
3. Leg Length Difference - You can have 2 types of leg length difference - a functional leg length difference or a structural leg length difference. Functional leg length difference refers to a difference in your leg length while you are standing or walking - this may show up as one foot that is more collapsed than the other. A structural leg length difference is a difference in the length of the bones in your legs. Your podiatrist may be able to measure your legs to see if there is a difference between them, but if they are concerned you do have a structural leg length difference, they may refer you to have a low dose X-Ray to measure you leg length.
Treatment
Treatment of your lower back pain will depend on your foot type and your symptoms. A biomechanical assessment will be conducted which should give us a enough information to recommend a treatment pathway. Often, we will recommend a change in your footwear and you may require orthoses to improve your foot function. Referral for X-Ray is recommended to determine leg length discrepancy if we believe you may have a structural leg length discrepency.