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Several times a week, I'm in the position to explain to a patient that their foot pain is due to a back issue or a foot issue is causing their back pain. With millions of people suffering from low back pain every day, many don't realize that their feet are part of the problem. While some people tend to blame their back pain on stress, lack of sleep, poor posture, or even aging, the truth is that most cases of lower back pain stem from problems with the muscles, ligaments, joints, and the bones of the spine itself.

One common misconception about back pain is that it stems from sitting too much or being overweight. Research suggests that the majority of cases of back pain occur because of something else entirely. In fact, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, up to 80% of patients with lower back pain report symptoms related to foot disorders.

However, while the exact cause of back pain may vary widely from person to person, certain factors can increase your risk of developing back pain. For example, wearing high heels, carrying heavy bags, and walking barefoot can all put extra pressure on your back and lead to back pain.

Lower back pain can have many different reasons, but one of the most common is likely a problem with the sciatic nerve. This nerve runs from the lower part of your spine down your legs, and is responsible for carrying signals between the brain and the rest of the body. If something compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve, you might experience pain in your lower back or feet.

The sciatic nerve is actually composed of several smaller nerves that run together in one larger nerve. So there are actually five separate nerves that make up the sciatic nerve. These nerves branch off from the spinal cord, travel along the side of your pelvis and go down each leg.

Sometimes, your lower back pain may be caused by issues with your body's biomechanics. These are problems with the way your body moves. They can include things like having poor posture, having one leg that's shorter than the other, having flat feet or a curved spine.

More people have a limb length discrepancy than you would think. These are often structural, where one leg measures shorter than the other, causing an imbalance. They also might be functional. For instance, all of the roads in Houston are banked for drainage. If you walk or run on the side of the road, then one leg is gonna be lower than the other. This creates a limb length difference that can cause back pain.

The biomechanics of the feet can also cause back pain as well. Underpronators, generally presenting with a high-arched foot, often experience knee and back pain because the inner portion of the foot rolls outwards during gait. This makes it difficult for your feet to absorb shock. That shock is transmitted up the line to your knees, your hips, and your back.

Overpronators often suffer from pain because the outer part of the foot rolls inward during gait. The instability of someone who overpronates causes everything up the line to work harder to provide stability. This includes the knees, the hips, and the back. It's not uncommon to have back pain in all of these situations. A good medical grade insole or custom orthotic will be useful to stabilize the feet. This will allow the feet to take on a stronger effort and will take pressure off of your back.

I see many people suffering from back pain who get well by using a custom orthotic to stabilize their base of support. Wearing the right shoes is much more than simply a matter of fashion. A pair of comfortable shoes that are well fitting can go a long way toward protecting your feet and ankles while running, walking, dancing, hiking, playing sports, and performing other physical activities.

If you're constantly wearing shoes that aren't supportive enough, you could be contributing to pain in your lower back. Your feet and legs depend on each other to work properly. Your feet are designed to absorb impact forces and distribute weight evenly across your entire foot. Without adequate support, however, your arches collapse under pressure, causing stress on your joints and ligaments. This leads to discomfort in your knees, your hip and your low back.

So there is a correlation between foot pain and back pain. That's not to say they're always related, but when the relationship is identified, it's usually a straightforward treatment to get the condition under control.

#backpain #backpainfromfootissues #limblengthdiscrepancy

00:00 Introduction
01:41 How feet can cause back pain
02:56 How the sciatic nerve affects back pain
04:22 How a limb length discrepancy affects back pain
04:47 How foot biomechanics can cause back pain
05:40 Stabilizing the feet to help back pain
07:14 The importance of wearing properly fitting shoes
07:59 How to connect with Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider

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