Foot orthotics along with chiropractic can greatly improve your low back pain. Many times the cause of the imbalances in the spine can be traced down to the feet. If the arches in your feet are dropping, they cannot support the weight of your body. Many times the arches drop starting at age 5. One foot usually has an arch that isn’t as high as the opposite side. When the arch drops, the knee rotates inward, dropping the pelvis on that side resulting in spinal misalignments. Walking with these imbalances is like driving a car with misaligned tires. As
you walk, the mechanics of your gait are altered. If you are standing all day, your posture will not be balanced and can lead to not only low back pain, but neck pain as well. When arches aren’t supported properly, you can develop foot pain, heel pain, plantar fascitis and heel spurs. If you view the picture to the right you will see the 5 Red Flags of pronation signifying foot problems and could benefit from foot orthotics.
Foot orthotics help balance the feet and prevent postural distortions that lead to back pain. Quality orthotics are specifically made for each individual patient as everybody’s feet are different. It’s important to note how your practitioner custom fits you for foot orthotics. In the past, many podiatrists made orthotics by having a patient lie down and making a cast of each foot. The problem with this is you do not get a true sense of what happens to the patient’s arches when they stand and are weight bearing.
Today, many practitioners are using modern technology where a patient stands on a scanner that shows where the arch is dropping and needs the most support. A custom made foot orthotic is made in this manner to provide biomechanical support. This helps to properly stabilize the arch, redistribute your weight, increase shock absorption, decrease pronation and balance the spine. Can you see how this will reduce back pain?
Studies are now showing how foot orthotics benefit in relieving back pain. One study showed that 66 patients who had back pain after a car accident improved more when treated with foot orthotics over the other half of the group that received pain medication and exercise therapy. Read the study: Effects of customized foot orthotics on reported disability and analgesic use in patients with chronic low back pain associated with motor vehicle collisions.
Another study shows that foot orthotics along with chiropractic treatment had additional benefits. Patients that received chiropractic treatment and foot orthotics had better patient outcomes than those patients that just were fitted for orthotics alone. The patients showed better improvement in pain, quality of life, improved function and disability. More info about the study by clicking here: Chiropractic adjustments and orthotics reduced symptoms for standing workers. When chiropractors adjust the spine, foot and knees there is an improvement in motion of the joints, alignment, and decrease in muscle strain which allows for the feet to adapt to the orthotics more quickly. I also find that when patients use foot orthotics it helps support the chiropractic adjustments in balancing the foundation of the feet and preventing pronation that could unstabilize the spine again.
At Hometown Family Wellness Center in Freehold NJ Chiropractor, Dr. Russell Brokstein has been helping patients with lower back pain by adjusting his patients and checking for the 5 red flags of foot pronation that can lead to the back pain. It’s important to find a chiropractor that adjusts ankles, feet and knees and fits patients for foot orthotics that are spinal pelvic stabilizers. Dr. Brokstein keeps up with current research to provide his patients optimal treatment to recover as quickly as possible and once again enjoy their normal daily activities. For more information on Dr. Brokstein and his practice click here.