A lot of you may have foot pain. Maybe it isn't getting better after weeks, months, or even years! This is a pretty common thing for a lot of you. If it hasn't been getting better, read this and follow up.
Your Back's Relationship to Your Foot
Your low back has the end of your spinal cord. The spinal cord, from the neck down to the back, sends out peripheral nerves into the body. In the neck it sends them into the arms, in the low back it sends them to your hips and legs.
Your low back moves, mostly into flexion (bending forward) and extension (bending backwards). At least it is supposed to. There is a small bit of rotation in the low back, but for the most part bending forward and back is what it does.
Muscles of the low back have been shown to be the first to fire in elite athletes whenever they move. This is because they are anchoring down the midline to use the muscles of the arms or legs. This provides extra support and increased ability to use your arms and legs.
When your back doesn't move and isn't supported, structures in your legs can become tight, stiff, or inflamed. This can lead to all sorts of issues in your feet!
Nerve Issues
The sciatic nerve is the thickest nerve in your entire body. There is one going down each side. When your back is stiff or tight, this can put more pressure on your sciatic nerve or the nerves that feed into it.
This increased pressure can cause all sorts of issues in your feet!
You may experience numbness or tingling (common nerve entrapment symptoms) in your feet.
You may feel less stable and have trouble balancing which can lead to increased work for your feet.
You may also notice that you are weaker on one side (sciatic issues are usually one side at a time, but not always) causing your foot and ankle to have to do more work
Muscle and Fascia Issues
Your back has something called fascia that is between your skin and your muscles. This tissue is not as elastic as muscles, but it can tighten up. The fascia is connected throughout the body and goes from your back, down the back of your leg, and into the bottom of your foot.
Tightness in one area will cause other areas of the fascia to be tight.
Underneath this the muscles from the low back down the back of your leg and bottom of your foot are not able to fully move and may also get tight an sore!
What You Can Do About It
For all foot issues, it is important to get your whole body looked at. Anything from your back down your legs can lead to your foot issues. And the areas may not be painful or noticeable. So you treat your foot, with no results!
Find someone who will look at your entire body to make sure you can address what is causing your issues, not just the symptoms you are feeling. When I first started practicing, I focused on what my clients felt, and it took longer than it should have to get better.
Now I look at the entire system and address the culprits, you should too!
Schedule a free screening video call by emailing info@bodyfixpt.com or calling 425-202-5687
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