Knee, hip & back pain caused by your feet?
Feet – the foundation to a pain-free body. Surprisingly, your feet may be the cause of your knee, hip and back pain. Many pain syndromes and problems of the musculoskeletal system, including the spine, have their origin at the feet. Although your feet may cause the problem, they may not be feeling any of the pain they are causing.
Your feet carry your body weight, help you stand tall and strong, and carry you through your daily activities. Problems with your feet may cause you to change the way you walk, stand or move – which can lead to health issues and pain all the way up to your knees, hips and spine.
Flat feet cause the foot and ankle to roll inward when walking or running. Shin splints, along with knee, hip and low back pain, are common problems associated with hyper-pronated feet because the muscles on the inside of the legs must work harder. When your tibia (shinbone) rotates inward, it places extra pressure on the muscles around the knee and creates muscle imbalance. A high arched foot causes the foot to roll outward, making the outside muscles of the legs work harder. Ligament sprains, stress fractures and tendonitis are common problems with hyper-supinated feet.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner’s Knee) develops when there is an imbalance in the strength of muscles that move the kneecap, causing grinding, friction, and pain. People with improper foot mechanics are at more risk. Foot orthotics and therapeutic rehabilitative exercises can get the knee muscles back on track.
Shin Splints are usually related to improper biomechanics of the foot and knee. Analyzing a person’s gait can detect mechanical foot problems, such as altered arch heights and weight bearing imbalances, which can determine the underlying cause of pain. Foot orthotics and physical therapy focuses on returning the biomechanics of the foot and knee to proper function.
People who have Plantar Fasciitis experience heel pain. They often find relief with foot orthotics and therapeutic exercises to help stabilize the foot and decrease the stress on the plantar fascia, or band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot.
When your foot function creates a rotation of your leg bones, muscle imbalances, and excessive stress on your knees and hips, it can also make its way up to causing you low back pain. Changes to the alignment of your ankle, knee, hip and back also cause additional wear and tear on the body.
Symptom relief is often the primary goal of traditional medicine, but treating the cause of the problem should take precedence. Foot orthotics can help correct the function of your feet, improve your posture and the alignment of your body. The importance of good nutrition to help maintain a healthy weight is necessary to eliminate additional strain on the body. A functional movement assessment to pinpoint and rehabilitate weakness in primary movement patterns is beneficial to people who suffer from chronic musculoskeletal problems.
Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation’s goals are to identify and treat the cause of the symptom as well as strengthen and stabilize the body so the patient can enjoy their health for years to come.
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