Alleviate back pain with custom-made foot orthotics
Foot and gait-related problems may be the cause of chronic lower back pain for millions of people. Foot orthotics may help to eliminate abnormal compensations such as early flexion of the knee, hip, back, and cervical spine. Custom-made foot orthotics may help to restore symmetrical function of the leg, ankle, and foot so that efficiency and coordination are enhanced.
A study published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (1999 Mar 89(3)) has indicated that untreated foot and ankle problems may be the cause of chronic lower back pain for many people.
Subjects participating in the study had been unsuccessful in using traditional methods of treatment for their lower back pain. The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale was used to measure the amount of pain suffered by each subject during the initial examination, three months after treatment, and between twelve and twenty-four months after the study treatment period had concluded.
The legs and lower back typically operate as a unit. However, foot and ankle problem may alter or impede normal walking motion, leading to repetitive strain of the lower back. If left untreated, severe lower back muscle damage and pain can occur. The study demonstrated that the use of custom-made foot orthoses can promote a more even gait and distribution of weight throughout the body, thereby restoring fluidity of motion.
Results of the study showed that the study participants experienced a 68 percent improvement in pain reduction at the conclusion of the foot orthotics treatment. Customized or custom-made foot orthotics can provide symmetrical function in the feet and lower extremities, which can in turn eliminate many of the upper body compensations that lead to chronic lower back pain.
