In this blog post from Kinetic Spine & Sports, we will look at common ways your feet can cause pain throughout your entire body.
How Can Your Feet Cause Pain In Other Areas Of Your Body?
Our feet are the building blocks of the body. Many of us do not give our feet the care and attention they deserve. Certain conditions and untreated sports injuries in our feet can cause a lot of pain and issues in other parts of the body, such as:
- Back Pain
- Pain In Your Joints
- Imbalance And Posture Issues
- Leg Pain
- Organ Function
Back Pain
Without realizing it, if you have any type of foot problem, chances are you may be changing the way you walk. This type of overcompensating or misalignment in your walking or running patterns can cause back pain because it also misaligns your spine. This is especially true for people with flat feet. Flat feet can cause ankle misalignment and can affect the entire body, from the knees and hips to the spine and neck. Your body will naturally compensate for this, causing you to walk, sit, and stand in unhealthy ways, which only exacerbates any existing pain.
Pain In Your Joints
Flat feet also do not have the proper arch to absorb the shock of everyday walking, running, and standing. That means your joints, especially your knees and hips, have to absorb all the impact, even if they were not designed to do so. Over time, this extra stress can lead to severe ankle, knee, and hip dysfunction.
Imbalance And Posture Issues
Having healthy feet is essential for having good posture and balance. Unfortunately, many people suffer from foot problems that can lead to problems with their posture and balance. When the feet become misaligned, it can cause the body to become out of balance, leading to increased risks of slips and falls. When pain occurs in the feet, the body tries to redistribute its weight, which can further exacerbate poor posture. The good news is that these problems can be corrected with early treatment, in order to prevent the development of more systemic problems.
Leg Pain
In addition to bones and joints, your feet are full of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that connect with the rest of your body. Any pain in the feet usually spreads to the legs as well. The lower legs are most often affected because this is where the soft tissue connections are most tightly connected. Calf pain, stiffness, muscle soreness, or muscle weakness in your legs may actually be the result of a foot problem.
Organ Function
You may not know it, but your feet can also affect the health of your organs. The sensory nerves and receptors in your feet are sending messages to your brain every second. When something is wrong with your feet, your brain gets the message that something is wrong, so it starts sending messages to make adjustments throughout your body, including your organs. Your feet are intimately connected to the rest of your body in ways you may never have imagined before, but they can have a huge impact on your life.
Treatments For Your Feet
At Kinetic Spine & Sports, we understand how uncomfortable and painful foot issues can be so we are glad to offer orthotics and chiropractic treatment for your feet. Orthotics or insoles are designed to correct foot posture and irregular gait patterns. When the arch of the foot is flat, weak, or otherwise dysfunctional, orthotics can help change the angle at which the foot hits the ground when standing, walking, jogging, running, and jumping. The result is a better platform for your body and less pain. Dr. Danieley treats the whole body and can determine how the use of orthotics can complement our treatment of back, hip, knee, or ankle problems.
Get Pain Relief For Your Feet Today
If you have a foot or lower body problem due to a sports injury, a medical condition, or daily life habits, reach out to Kinetic Spine & Sports to make an appointment. At Kinetic Chiropractic, we are dedicated to alleviating pain, restoring health, and enhancing human performance with a focus on the treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries. Contact our office in Weddington, NC and call 704-849-0344 today.
