Foot orthotics, along with chiropractic, can greatly improve your low back pain. Many times, the cause of the imbalances in the spine can be traced to the feet. If the arches in your feet are dropping, they cannot support the weight of your body. Many times, the arches drop starting at age 5. One foot usually has an arch that isn’t as high as the opposite side. When the arch drops, the knee rotates inward, dropping the pelvis on that side, resulting in spinal misalignments. Walking with these imbalances is like driving a car with misaligned tires.
As you walk, the mechanics of your gait are altered. If you are standing all day, your posture will not be balanced and can lead to not only low back pain, but neck pain as well. When arches aren’t supported properly, you can develop foot pain, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and heel spurs. If you view the picture to the right, you will see the 5 Red Flags of pronation signifying foot problems, and you could benefit from foot orthotics.
Foot orthotics help balance the feet and prevent postural distortions that lead to back pain. Quality orthotics are specifically made for each patient, as everybody’s feet are different. It’s important to note how your practitioner custom-fits you for foot orthotics. In the past, many podiatrists made orthotics by having a patient lie down and making a cast of each foot. The problem with this is that you do not get a true sense of what happens to the patient’s arches when they stand and are weight-bearing.
Today, many practitioners are using modern technology where a patient stands on a scanner that shows where the arch is dropping and needs the most support. A custom-made foot orthotic is made in this manner to provide biomechanical support. This helps to properly stabilize the arch, redistribute your weight, increase shock absorption, decrease pronation, and balance the spine. Can you see how this will reduce back pain?
Studies are now showing how foot orthotics can help relieve back pain. One study showed that 66 patients who had back pain after a car accident improved more when treated with foot orthotics than the other half of the group that received pain medication and exercise therapy. Read the study: Effects of customized foot orthotics on reported disability and analgesic use in patients with chronic low back pain associated with motor vehicle collisions.
Another study shows that foot orthotics, along with chiropractic treatment, had additional benefits. Patients who received chiropractic treatment and foot orthotics had better patient outcomes than those patients who were fitted for orthotics alone. The patients showed better improvement in pain, quality of life, improved function, and disability. More info about the study by clicking here: Chiropractic adjustments and orthotics reduced symptoms for standing workers. When chiropractors adjust the spine, foot, and knees, there is an improvement in motion of the joints, alignment, and a decrease in muscle strain, which allows the feet to adapt to the orthotics more quickly. I also find that when patients use foot orthotics, it helps support the chiropractic adjustments in balancing the foundation of the feet and preventing pronation that could destabilize the spine again.
At Hometown Family Wellness Center in Freehold, NJ, Chiropractor, Dr. Russell Brokstein, has been helping patients with lower back pain by adjusting and checking for the 5 red flags of foot pronation that can lead to back pain. It’s important to find a chiropractor who adjusts ankles, feet, and knees and fits patients for foot orthotics that are spinal pelvic stabilizers. Dr. Brokstein keeps up with current research to provide his patients with optimal treatment to recover as quickly as possible and once again enjoy their normal daily activities. For more information on Dr. Brokstein and his practice, read his about page.
