One of the most incapacitating injuries is chronic low back pain. The problem is so severe that one-half of all adult Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year. According to the American Chiropractic Association, chronic low back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, more than $50 billion is spent each year on treating low back pain.
Recent research suggests that back pain may be closely linked to poor or improper biomechanics. Many researchers, in fact, agree that chronic or low back pain may be significantly related to how you walk (gait style), a reason we are shifting our focus to the feet to treat hip and back pain.
Everyone knows that low back pain is a recurrent problem. Why? Because most doctors do not look at the way you walk. One flaw in your gait style can lead to strain on your back. Using custom foot orthoses to change the mechanics of foot function may improve hip extension and create prolonged relief of low back symptoms.
Using foot orthotics to effectively treat hip and low back problems has been studied extensively by Dr. Howard Dananberg, a renowned podiatrist in Bedford, New Hampshire. Through computerized in-shoe pressure testing, he found that a specialized orthotic eliminates the flaw that causes strain on the back. Getting the feet to function exactly as they are supposed to allows the hips to extend properly. Normal hip extension during gait eliminates strain on the back.
We have witnessed countless cases of custom foot orthotics relieving hip and back pain. In our opinion, anyone who suffers from chronic hip or back pain should be evaluated by a podiatrist to assess their feet. Since your doctor may not consider your feet as a possible cause of the pain, you’ll have to take it upon yourself to be proactive.
Medications, rest, exercise and weight loss may all be effective in relieving hip and back pain. Unfortunately, they are not a cure in most cases. Eliminating the cause of the pain should be the ultimate goal. Since faulty foot mechanics are often the cause of back pain, using custom foot orthotics can be worth a lifetime of relief from this otherwise chronic condition.
