Would you believe it if we told you that simply using shoe inserts could help alleviate your lower back pain? It’s time to start believing because foot orthotics and lower back pain have a proven link. Research has shown that foot orthotics (shoe inserts) can help manage lower back pain, depending on the cause of the pain.
Foot orthotics are used to correct abnormal or irregular walking patterns by changing the angle your foot strikes the ground. Ideally, while walking or running your foot should strike the ground completely level. However, some people naturally have a gait that’s pronated (your feet hit the ground more on the inside edge) or supinated (your feet hit the ground more on the outside edge).
If you’re asking yourself how the way you walk could have anything to do with your lower back pain, we have one question for you. Have you ever heard of the domino effect?
Your feet are the foundation of your entire body. Pronated or supinated feet cause your knees to shift inwards or outwards, respectively. Once your knees are out of alignment, your hip posture becomes unsteady, resulting in a destabilized spine. And all of the sudden, all of the dominos have fallen.
The only difference between the game of dominos and your walking pattern’s influence on your spine is the speed in which things occur. It would take years of an irregular walking pattern to cause lower back pain, while a game of dominos is over in a few minutes. Years of an irregular walking pattern can cause lower back pain. Click To Tweet
Spinal Conditions Foot Orthotics May Help
Foot orthotics can only help manage pain caused by non-neurological causes. Below is a list of some of the conditions that may benefit from the use of foot orthotics:
- Degenerative disc disease
- Muscle strain – lower back
- Facet syndromes
- Sacroiliac joint syndromes
- Lumbar spinal stenosis – without nerve root damage
If you are experiencing lower back pain, we urge you to look at the soles of your favorite shoes. By looking at the wear on the treads, you can often determine your walking pattern. If you discover your feet are pronated or supinated, foot orthotics may just help you manage your lower back pain.