16/09/2023
**The Link Between Your Feet and Lower Back Pain*
We know that 1° change in the alignment of our car leads to the excessive wear and tear of tyres. Like that 1° change in the alignment of our foot can lead to ankle, knee, hip and back pain.
Millions of people deal with acute lower back pain,
The connection between your feet and your lower back pain may not seem immediately obvious. However, there is more than one way that they can be linked. We can examine and explain the connection between back pain and your feet.
*Your nerves, your lower back, and your feet*
Lower back pain can have many causes that are connected to the feet. One of the most common is a problem with the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is actually a bundle of five nerves that runs from the lower part of your spine down your legs. When this nerve is pinched or compressed, you may feel pain in your lower back and feet.
*Biomechanical issues*
Sometimes, your lower back pain can be due to having a bad posture or having a leg longer than the other.
Also, this could be due to a flat foot. This condition can cause your thighs and knees to rotate inward, which can cause an exaggerated curvature of your lower back. Over time, this posture can put more pressure on your hips and knees and lead to back pain.
*Pronation issues*
If you’ve been in the running world for a while or have recently been shopping for running shoes, you may be familiar with the concept of pronation. Both underpronation and overpronation are very common issues that can contribute to lower back pain.
Overpronation is what occurs when your feet turn inward. If you tend toward overpronation, you may find the inside of your soles flattened from wear. The inward motion of the foot, especially as you’re walking or running, can also cause pain in your lower back and knees.
Underpronation ― also called supination ― is the opposite. With underpronation, your feet turn excessively outward when you run or walk. This can cause your spine and hips to get out of alignment, which can lead to lower back pain.
Dr. Dharmendra Gopal
HOD Department of Physiotherapy
Jankidas Kapur Memorial Hospital,
Naraina Road, New Delhi-110008