Back & Feet Pain

Back Pain & Your Feet

Are you experiencing physical discomfort anywhere on your back, whether it be mild or disabling? Is your back pain impeding your productivity at work and making you lie in bed all day? Even after using expensive topical products for back pain relief, do you find no relief from the pain? This might be a bit surprising to learn, but your feet could be the root cause of your back pain. We realize that the connection between your feet and your back pain may not be very apparent so if you are wondering how your feet can impact and even cause back pain, continue reading.

What is the connection between back pain and feet?

If you have been experiencing an aching or even shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation in your back for quite some time now, you need to examine and reconsider your foot health before you lather another layer of that pain-relieving gel on your back. Because our bones are connected to other bones via thick, fibrous bands known as ligaments, a foot condition or injury can often lead to back pain.

Usually, when we suffer from a foot injury, deformity, or trip somewhere and are unable to walk properly, we instinctively change our manner of walking (or “gait”) so that it does not trigger any pain. This change in gait can impact other parts of your body — from your knee and hip all the way to your lower back — since all muscles and bones are interconnected.

Sciatic nerve: The link between your back and feet

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body that unites the five nerve roots stemming from the lower back. The sciatic nerve passes from your buttocks to the back of your high and goes all the way through to your heel and sole. It plays a crucial role in connecting your spine with the hip, thigh, and legs and sends commands to facilitate basic movement, like walking and sitting.

Sometimes, the sciatic nerve is compressed, irritated, or inflamed, and, as a result, your lower back and your feet hurt and become numb. This condition is called sciatica (also called sciatic neuritis), and the pain usually only radiates on one side of the body.

Older adults are more susceptible to sciatica when their spine goes through some age-related changes. Furthermore, people who are overweight or obese can be more prone to suffering from sciatica, which is usually triggered due to an injury or while sitting for too long.

Most common symptoms of sciatica

Some of the most common symptoms of sciatica include:

  • In sciatica, the pain radiates from your lower spine to the buttock and lower extremities. It is also accompanied by a radiating or sharp sensation.
  • Numbness or “pin and needles” sensation in the legs.
  • An important indicator of sciatica is that patients feel all the symptoms in one of the legs. Sciatica rarely affects both legs.
  • Difficulty walking.

Foot-related problems that cause back pain

One of the common conditions wherein foot-related problems can negatively impact the back is flat feet (also known as pronation, flexible flat foot, and pes planus). Every child is born with flat feet, and they start to develop an arch at the age of three. Flat feet in children usually disappear by the age of six, and only 1 or 2 out of every 10 children will still have flat feet into adulthood. If your entire sole touches the ground when you stand, you probably have flat feet. People with flat feet often suffer from back pain, as the condition causes thighs and keens to rotate inward. This abnormality results in an exaggerated curvature in the lower back, which leads to back pain.

In addition, pronation issues can also contribute to back pain. Pronation refers to the way your feet naturally roll inward to absorb the shock resulting from keeping the foot on the ground while walking. If your feet turn excessively inward, you have overpronation. On the other hand, if it turns excessively outward, you have underpronation. Both conditions lead to back pain.

Lastly, the kind of footwear you wear can also affect the condition of your back. Driven by the fashion trends, if you are inclined towards wearing high-heeled shoes or ill-fitted ones, you are likely to suffer from back pain. To ensure your spine is in perfect health, minimize wearing uncomfortable shoes, as they can be detrimental to your spine and feet. Wearing a well-fitted and comfortable pair of shoes will be helpful and alleviate the pain.

Conclusion

Now that you know your back pain could be a result of your poor foot health, consider seeing a podiatrist to review your condition to see if indeed, your feet are the problem.

Shop at FootDocStore

Ready to work on improving your foot health? FootDocStore has you covered. We are a one-stop online shop for improving foot health and treating foot deformities. Visit the FootDocStore.com online store to find a wide selection of foot pain relief and comfort solutions. Also, be sure to check out our blog to learn more about how to keep your feet and ankles healthy and happy.

Posted in Foot Care News.