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Do you blame your back pain on a sedentary lifestyle? It may be so, but it is just as likely that the cause of the discomfort is in your feet. How it’s possible?
– A sedentary person takes about 6 steps a day. Someone who walks a lot makes about 15. If you have any foot defect, you are putting your leg incorrectly several thousand times. This entails a chain of reactions – explains physiotherapist Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf from FootMedica of the Healthy Foot Clinic.
Find out about 6 unusual symptoms of foot defects
Backaches
– The spine is a complex and delicate organ. It reacts quickly to inadequate cushioning or incorrect positioning of the pelvis. Since it is connected directly to the spine, it leads to irritation of the so-called soft tissues around the spine, such as ligaments or muscles, and as a result, the imbalance of muscle tension. Then the backbone is like a ship’s mast held by ropes. If they are evenly stretched, the mast is straight, and if one becomes loose and the other tightly stretched – the entire balance of the mast is upset – explains the physiotherapist.
Headaches
Headaches, and even the so-called Cervical migraine is often caused by the tension of the suboccipital muscles caused by the habitual lateral tilt of the head or the deepening of the natural curvature of the spine, which may be related to incorrect positioning of the pelvis, and this in turn – foot defects.
Pain in the temporomandibular joint
Few people would look for the causes of the problems of the temporomandibular joint in the feet. – Professor Brain Rothbart, a specialist in the treatment of chronic pain, proved in his 2009 research the relationship between abnormal foot biomechanics and malocclusion and temporomandibular joint defects, which are responsible for the appearance of tension headaches. The temporomandibular joint is functionally related to the upper part of the cervical spine, and the muscles supporting it are stress muscles (just like the muscles of the neck!) – justifies the physiotherapist.
Knee pain
The human knee is not physically adapted to prolonged shocks. Walking for many hours on paved surfaces in shoes that do not provide proper shock absorption is the proverbial “shot in the knee”.
If, additionally, the work of the knee is disturbed by the foot defect, the injury or pain is only a matter of time. Excessive pronation, transverse and longitudinal flat feet, hallux valgus or hindfoot varus – all these abnormalities can cause a change in the position of the foot during walking, which will affect the improper operation of the knee joint.
Ankle pain
The ankle joint is the most stressed joint in our body. There are as many as 13 cushioning mechanisms in the foot and ankle area for a reason! Any angular deviation in this part of the leg affects all the higher joints.
Skin changes on the feet
– Recurring skin changes, such as corns and calluses, and even ingrown toenails may indicate abnormal foot structure. They arise as a result of excessive pressure of bone elements on the skin. Excessive pronation, thinning of the fat lining of the foot or insufficient transverse arch may cause changes. We can safely remove them at a podiatrist, but it is also worth examining the feet and correcting the defect. Otherwise, we will constantly remove the symptoms and not the cause – explains Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.
Take care of your feet – what is worth doing?
If you suffer from at least one of the symptoms above, it’s time to take a look at your feet. What can you do?
Foot examination
The first steps should be directed to the office of a physiotherapist or orthopodologist, who will perform a comprehensive examination using both manual methods and specialized equipment connected to a computer.
During the examination, the specialist will check which muscles are contracted and which are too weak. It also checks the way the patient rolls the foot while walking, and also analyzes the distribution of pressure forces of individual parts of the feet on the ground while standing.
and while walking. On the basis of the obtained results, he recommends appropriate measures, e.g. a set of exercises, orthopedic insoles, kinesiotaping.
Physiotherapy
As part of the therapy, the specialist selects the appropriate set of exercises tailored to the patient’s abilities and foot defects. Typically, the exercises are aimed at strengthening or relaxing, restoring the correct length and flexibility of the muscles of the feet and legs, and reducing the defect. These may include exercises such as: Extending the “spreading” of the toes or stretching the back of the calf.
Individual orthopedic insoles
If necessary, the physiotherapist will recommend individual orthopedic insoles. Orthopedic insoles can be done within an hour of the examination. They are made for each foot separately. Worn daily, they support and stimulate the individual functions of the foot. They make it possible to relieve workplaces that work too intensively and to add weight to those whose work needs to be strengthened. They improve cushioning and, most importantly, correct the defect, and not just passively support the foot, as is the case with ready-to-buy insoles. What is not without significance, they are made of thermoplastic materials, so that when the slightest changes are observed, they can be corrected or reformed to fulfill their function in 100%.
Kinesiotaping
In the case of severe pain, a physiotherapist may use kinesiotaping. It is a method of therapy that involves sticking flexible plasters to relieve pain and reduce swelling or inflammation.
Visit to the podiatrist
If you suffer from changes to the skin or toenails, it is worth contacting a podiatrist. When performing a podiatry pedicure, the specialist removes corns, calluses, and callous epidermis, using specialized sterile tools such as a scalpel, chisel or appropriately selected cutters. A podiatry pedicure can take up to 1,5 hours.
– The feet are the foundation of the musculoskeletal system. We should check them regularly, just like we check our eyesight or teeth. Foot abnormalities lead to disturbances in the upper body parts. Knowing the cause of the pain, a specialist is able to select an effective therapy for the patient, sums up Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.