How Arches of your Foot Affect Your Spine and Back Pain?
In the United States, 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and half of them experience back pain symptoms every year.
However, the cause might be surprising, such as the arches of your foot and improper footwear.
The Purpose of the Arches of your Foot: Arches of your foot help maintain balance in the body and provides a spring to the step. Arches are generally strong, and help feet to adjust to different surfaces they are walked on.
Flat Feet: Some people have no-arches, called flat feet, which may prove to be painful and uncomfortable and can lead to back pain.
Three Arches of your Foot - The foot has three main arches: one anterior transverse arch and two longitudinal arches (medial & lateral).
Why are Strong Arches Important?
When you walk, you put force up to five times your body weight on each foot. If the foot does not absorb or redistribute this shock properly, it may develop problems elsewhere.
This usually occurs in people with
"flat feet" because the foot's arch appears flattened and closer to the ground. About
20-30% of people generally have flat feet because their arches are never developed during growth.
How do Arches of Your Foot Work?
The purpose of the arches is to maintain the structural and functional balance of your body. The feet are the foundation of your whole body, and they serve you in three important ways:
- Arches support your body when walking, standing, or running.
- Arches help you to move from one place to another.
- Arches protect your
spine, bones, joints, and soft tissues from stress and excessive pressure when moving.
What's The Link between the Arches of Your Foot & Your Spine?
The arches of your foot are critically essential to keep the spine stable.
When you run or walk, your feet absorb a certain amount of shock with each step you take. As you run, the total shock is passed to one foot. So the work of the arches is to safely dissipate this shock and protect the rest of your body.
What If the Arches aren’t Functioning Properly or not Shaped Correctly?
When arches don't function as they should, don't absorb the shock of movement activity, it exerts added wear and tear on the body.
Hence, any weakness or unstable positioning of the feet, any weight-bearing imbalances can lead to abnormal biomechanical stress and postural deformation.
It can alternatively lead to knee, ankle, hip, neck pain, lower back pain, and even headaches.
Chiropractors Can Treat Arches & Spine Problem
A chiropractor can help people with spine and arch issue that can cause additional problems in other structures like your hip, legs, and lower back - without surgery or prescription drugs.
Even for people with flat feet, a chiropractor can make adjustments on the knees, ankles, hips, and back, relieving pain related to the foot, arch, and back. A chiropractor can also make spinal adjustments correctly.
With the proper arches of your foot, back pain can be treated comprehensively and holistically. So you don't have to go for treatments that may lead to complications and side effects.
What other Problems Can Chiropractors Treat?
Chiropractors can treat many conditions related to the structure of your body.
- Lower back pain - most common reason people seek treatment from a chiropractor.
- Shoulder pain
- Neck Pain
- Migraines
- Tension headaches
- Insomnia
- Whiplash
- Sacroiliac pain
Foot Massage Help Strengthen Your Arches & Relieve Back Pain
Your chiropractor may also suggest foot massage to relieve back pain. This foot massage focused on the arches of your foot and performed by the following steps:
- Focus on the pressure points in your arches and use a few drops of oil or lotion for lubrication.
- Move from heel to toe; alternate moving your thumbs in a series of short strokes.
Arches of Your Foot – Takeaway
Ultimately, there is an intimate relationship between the arches of your foot and your spine. With the proper arches, you can handle the effect of walking or running without dislocating the vertebrae.
On the other hand, if you have low arches or flat feet, this can eventually lead to back pain.
If you are experiencing back pain or complications due to low arches, contact Family Chiropractic Plus in ST. Petersburg Florida
to learn more about your treatment options.
If you don’t have an amazing chiropractor
Contact us today!
Family Chiropractic Plus is dedicated to your overall health and well-being, which is why we offer regular
chiropractic adjustments in order to restore your body’s natural state of
optimal health, while also providing it with the support it needs to heal from any injury, big or small.
