Special Topics Back Pain
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 Typical example - flat feet |
If you are a runner you will notice this effect as shin or knee pain. If you walk or stand a lot you will probably tense your thigh and hip muscles as you try to cope with the instability. Eventually the problem works its way up your body until either you compensate or your muscles reach the limit of their comfort zone. Typical symptoms: a band of pain across the low back, worse in the morning, eases with movement and gentle exercise, worse for sitting.
If you have one dropped arch and one fairly normal arch, the back pain is usually low down, one-sided with sciatica.
If your arches are fine but your rearfoot is stiff, again the result can be low back pain. When you have a stiff rearfoot you take most of your weight on the outside of your foot (look for hard skin there and wearing out of the outer edge of your shoes). The usual compensation is to rotate your legs outwards and tilt your pelvis backwards, this makes your low back bend forward which puts strain on your muscles and ligaments.
Sometimes stretching can help but if there is a mechanical problem in the foot you really have to be dedicated to keep on top of it by stretching.
The quick fix is to first of all have your feet checked with a computerised gait scan, then depending on the severity, correct the problem with either prescription or over-the-counter arch supports that you wear in your shoes. This stops the damage from getting worse. The arch supports are called orthotics, and you will find that most top sportsmen and sportswomen use them, not just to deal with pain but also to optimise performance.
| Contact Bill Ferguson Osteopath Tenterden Book an osteopathy appointment now Tel: 01580 762754 |
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Bill Ferguson |
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© Bill Ferguson |
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