Foot Support and Back Pain, with Dr. Myles Dixon
Have you ever stopped to think that your feet are the foundation that the rest of your body is supported by? Your feet are extremely complex structures composed of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and skin.
There are 26 bones in the feet, ¼ of the human bones are located in the feet. The feet and ankle have 3 main jobs; support, propulsion and shock absorption.
Foot pain and dysfunction can be due to:
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ill-fitting, inappropriate footwear that cramps your feet,
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injuries that keep you from walking well–or at all,
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sprains which stretch or tear ligaments (which connect bones), and
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stress fractures of bones in the foot, which can result from accidents or overuse while engaging in sports or exercise.
Even without pain, foot dysfunction can cause your whole body to overcompensate, which can lead to back pain and even headache, not to mention the emotional stress of discomfort and limitations of movement that can spread from the feet upward.
No one is safe from foot problems. But older or overweight individuals, diabetics, and serious athletes and dancers who place great demands on their feet are more prone to foot disorders than others are.
If you are troubled by chronic or recurrent foot pain and/or dysfunction, you would be wise to consult a chiropractor, who has experience relieving such pain and preventing it from causing even more painful and disabling joint, muscle, connective tissue, and nerve problems in other areas of your body.
Arch supports are often times part of the solution, but in many cases foot problems need more than arch support, they require joint mobilization (adjustments) soft tissue rehab and gait training.
Taking care of your feet will save you a lot of problems down the road. Here is a list of things to consider when choosing footwear for the day.
Foot Support Tips
Ladies, limit the amount of time you spend in high heels. High heels change the alignment of your spine and put a lot of stress on the lower back, not to mention they lack support for your feet.
It is also important to wear shoes while at home. Going barefoot around the house will cause the feet to break down. When you get home from work, slip into a fresh pair of socks and a different pair of shoes. This will help you feel refreshed while still having good support around the house.
Just say “No” to Flip Flops
One of the most damaging things you can do to your feet is to wear flip flops. I know they are easy to wear and stylish, but they have zero support… and create more problems then they are worth. Limit your flip flop use to just the beach.
You may be saying to yourself ‘why is it so bad to go bare foot or wear flip flops, how did people get along back in the days before we had good supporting shoes?’ Here is the short version of the story; people had stronger feet back then. Our feet were designed to grip and crawl over uneven surfaces which strengthened the foot muscles tendons and ligaments. Today, nearly every surface we walking on is flat. Our feet are weak and breakdown easily.
Most of us realize that wearing good shoes is important, but most shoes don’t offer the support we need for all three arches of our feet. That’s why adding a good arch support is an important component to a good shoe. I hope this information was helpful, I could have written a short book on this important topic.
Myles Dixon DC
Comments
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I did not know that one quarter of our bones were located in our feet. It makes sense to take care of our feet. I started pampering my feet when I bathe, I wash them, scrub them, soak them. I did not know that we should wear shoes in the house. Thank you for this information, it has been very helpful.
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if a child has gone barefoot for 10 years woukd they have a stonger foot, ?
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I have had foot pain for about 35 years,mostly in my heals.I have had orthotics made,it help a little bit.I buy the most expensive thorlo sock’s that i can get on doctor’s recommendation.They help a little.Somtime’s the pain goes away for a while,then it come’s back again.if i wear bowling shoe’s or golf shoe’s it aggravates problem.I did not know that a chiropractor could work on your feet to help realign them.I will have to check into that.
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What info do you have regarding aspartame and back pain? I have some interesting findings for myself. Anyone else out there??
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Isn’t it a different case for flat feet? (wearing flip flops and similar footwear)
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I always liked walking, and as we now live in a lovely area of Spain
with lots of fantastic walks, I now would like to take walking as a hobby,
But after about 20 minute the toes of my right foot start to burn and ache.
I have good walking boots, maybe the damage has been done by wearing sandles
thought the summer. I also get the some symptoms when out at the shopping
centre, another of my hobbies but the pain is making it a chore.
Im slim built and dont have a weight problem and its only my right foot.
any ideas what I can do to relieve the problem. -
Everytime i up my running mileage I get shin splints back and end up having to take long rests from running even though only frequent runs of 5 miles can cause a flair up.
I’ve been told it’s mostly linked to bio-mechanics and was wondering if you have any coments on this as i’ve been to many specialists & tried numerous orthotics.
If there was a muscle weekness somewhere else would the stress go on the feet & shins?
I also occasionally suffer from plantafaciatis, should i assume this is all linked?Kind regards & many thanks
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A while back I started to wear arch supports thinking they would help align my spine, instead they started causing “water on the knee” – a bubbling effect that would come on at any given time. When I saw my doctor, wanting to know what these feelings were, he did not suggest I stop wearing the arch supports. Knowing there was no other reason for the bubbling spasms in my knee, I stopped wearing the arch supports. After a while, all “watery spasms” stopped. I know my back needs alignment and I see a chiropractor every month for subluxation treatment, etc. I had to learn from my own experience. I hope this helps others who have had back injuries and are not aligned properly. Beware of arch supports!
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W ferrene, to answer your question, I would suggest stretching your calves 4-5 times a day with knee bent and knee strait. There are 2 major muscle groups in the calf. Also order a “stick” looks like a mini rolling pin. http://www.thestick.net/online/cat1_1.htm Get the marathon stick and the foot wheel. You need to breakdown the muscle knots in your calves and arch muscle, it will take weeks to do this and it is tender. Try wearing the orthotics after you have really worked the arch muscle with the foot wheel (give it 2 weeks before introduce orthotics), wear then a few hours a day until the arch presure goes away. If the arch presure is still there after doing this, then have your DC send the orthotics back for adjusting (the arch may be too much) Keep in mind muscle knots are hard to break up (think about how a butcher tendorizes meat) I tell people with issues like this that it takes 6-12 months to heal if you do the right things
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Diane, childrens feet breakdown as well. If they play alot on a sandy beach or outside on very uneven terrain, then they will have stronger feet. Children still need good supporting shoes on hard flat surfaces. Orthotics are tough to make work for kids, we suggest good shoes. Hope this helps.
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What about negative heel technology, you know, earth shoes, can they help?
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I have been having problems with my feet for over a year. I’ve gone to family doctor, pediatrist, neither of them have been able to figure out the problem I am having. I am over weight, which I know must be an attributing factor, however all blood tests show up normal. Yet I have numb feet. It may sound weird, but I can feel someone touching my feet, it makes them jump, but at the same time, my feet feel numb. Does that sound strange or does someone have any info they could send my way?
Desperate…. in New Zealand!!!
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Tina, I would suggest you see a neurologist or physiatrist. You need a good neurologic evaluation to determine where the nerve irritation is coming from. Once you know where the problem is, then you can choose the best treatment options for you. Hope this helps
Dr Myles Dixon -
Pamela, I have never tried earth shoes. However, after reading about them, I think they can certainly help some people. I could also see how they could make others worse. It’s tough to beat a good supportive shoe combined with a few simple stretches for the legs and feet. Most people have super tight calves, which affects there gait and causes more stress on the joints…A proper gait pattern doesn’t need negative heal technology. Just my thoughts. Hope this helps!
Dr Myles Dixon -
I have recently had ‘forefoot reconstruction’, which included bunion removal and toe straightening. I’m 2 months into recovery/recuperation and I feel I’m at a plateau. Swelling slow to reduce, calf ache common.
Any suggestions on how to speed up the healing or just good things to do for my feet.
I have found out it’s good to wear shoes in the house, but I can only wear my Birkenstocks to this point, but I think they are good.
Thank you. -
Hello! I have a 13-year-old son with very flat feet. He is playing semi-competitive badminton now, and although his badminton shoes seem to have good arch support his feet continue to get flatter. He does go to the chiropractor semi-regularly… one says he should get inserts, another says they don’t help. Would stretching help, and do you recommend inserts, or just good shoes?
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Dr Myles
As a person age one’s feet become more sensitive. Me and my wife experience at times heel pain and it feels like bone on bone. We both in our sixties. What causes this condition and what is the cure? Please help -
See above re heel problem Please respond
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generally a lack of magnesium is the original cause.
I am having problems with hard cramping in the center/back/middle of my calf muscles.
I have felt a popping sensation in my calf(similar to being hit on the calf by a tennis ball) which then results in a huge knot in my calf. My right calf has popped on two different occasions. Ity does not feel like a tear it is like a huge charlie horse. The tightness has started to effect my other leg in the same way. My chiropractor said he though I needed arch supports so I had some custom inserts made. After about three months I did feel a little relief however the problem did not go away. Also the arch on my right foot started to feel bruised so I have taken the orthodic inserts out.
When I run I can feel the strands of muscle in my calfs start to tighten up. I have taken minerals, gotten inserts and I still haven’t been able to find relief. Any ideas? Is it my feet or just my calfs? What should I do? Can your feet effect you calf muscles?