Sometimes, the pain in your lower back or hips originates with your feet. A foot problem can affect your body mechanics and cause your pelvis to tilt or pressure to be on your spine. This problem may require several approaches to solve. Spinal adjustments may help relieve pain and realign the spine and pelvis, but the problem may occur again if the foot condition is not corrected. One treatment method for certain foot problems is orthotic inserts. Here's what they are and how they help with lower back pain.
Orthotics Are Similar To OTC Shoe Inserts
You can buy over-the-counter shoe inserts to pad the bottom of your feet and to provide arch support. Orthotics are similar, but they provide better support. They are custom made to fit your feet exactly, and they are designed to target your particular foot problem. You may need heel padding most, or you might need an orthotic insert that is more padded on one side than the other to help align your foot. The similarity with OTC shoe inserts is that they fit inside your shoes to enhance comfort and foot function.
Orthotics Help Normalize Your Gait
The purpose of wearing orthotics is to improve your gait. If your feet are painful due to an injury or abnormality, you may change the way you walk to avoid putting your weight on a painful area of your foot, such as the heel. This throws your body out of alignment and can lead to pain in your knees, hips, and back. Sometimes, you naturally have an unusual gait that causes your feet to roll while you walk. Other times, you might develop muscle weakness or poor posture that contributes to an unhealthy gait. These problems may need additional therapies such as muscle strengthening, posture improvement, and chiropractic treatments to bring the body back into balance. Orthotics support other therapies by helping your feet function normally to take stress off of your hips and back.
In addition to wearing orthotic inserts in your shoes, you may be instructed to change the type of shoes you wear so your feet have proper support. You might need shoes with strong arch support or stiff ankle support. If one of your legs is found to be shorter than the other, you might even need custom shoes to even out your gait. By wearing the right shoes and orthotics, your foot condition can improve and lead to improvements in other areas of your body.
For more information, contact a business such as Albany Chiropractic and Physical Therapy.
