What is back pain?
Back pain is quite a common condition that can be started with an injury or it can also be an accumulation of many years of overuse. Back pain is a problem that needs serious attention because, when left untreated or dragged on for many years, it can cause serious and permanent damage. The most common consequence of long-term back pain is the displacement or bulging of the spine disk or spinal arthritis.
What causes back pain?
Although there are many possible causes of back pain, many postural problems are caused by a foot misalignment. Just to name a few: flat feet, lower limb length difference, ankle sprain, injury, weight gain, improper shoes, improper walking or running gait can directly cause back pain. If you are suffering from back pain, it is beneficial to have your entire posture looked at, from your back, hips, knees, and ankles to your feet. All these structures function as a chain of reaction, so any misalignment can create pain in another area.
How to treat back pain?
First of all, it is important to determine what has caused your back pain. It is only by determining if it is related to something happening with your feet, knees, ankles or hips that you will be able to have the best treatment possible.
1. Relieving the pressure on your back
If your back pain is related to a foot-knee-back misalignment, your lower back is taking up more pressure and impact forces than it is supposed to, because your feet are not perfectly aligned with the rest. Your podiatrist can help with that by prescribing and making a custom-made plantar orthotic tailored to your needs and sport. By recreating the perfect alignment between your feet-knees-back, your lower back will no longer suffer from your feet deformity. Also, your podiatrist can determine with a posture and gait exam if you are suffering from a limb length difference. This difference can be directly adjusted through your custom-made orthotics or through a modification in your shoes.
2. Strengthening your feet
Weak muscles around your feet can make them more unstable. Any instability of the feet will make your lower back suffer from more impact forces than it needs to. By following a strengthening and stretching program prescribed by your podiatrist, you can help your feet get stronger so they hold more weight so that your lower back does not have to.
How to treat back pain at home?
While waiting for your podiatric consultation, you can relieve your pain at home by following these steps:
Wear shoes with support
Wear a pair of shoes that will give you proper arch support. With proper arch support, your feet, knees and lower back will have more chance to function in alignment. This way, your feet will gain some more stability and relieve your lower back from the excessive impact force. Stay away from flexible shoes as they will make your back pain even worse. Refrain from walking barefoot.
Take some rest
It is difficult to not use our feet on a daily basis, except for physical activity that does not involve any walking or standing up. In order to spare your lower back from the excessive impact, you can opt for swimming or cycling as another form of physical activity.