Custom Orthotics
The first question you may ask yourself is "what do feet have to do with the back?" The feet are the foundation for the whole body, very much like the foundations of a building. If the foundations are properly aligned and supported, the structure above it can function in the way it was designed to.
The human foot has evolved to travel on soft, natural surfaces like earth and sand. Nowadays, we spend most of the time walking on unnaturally hard and flat surfaces such as pavements and floors. These surfaces force our feet to roll inwards, in order to gain more contact with the ground, and as a result, our arches flatten. This rolling inward of the feet, termed over-pronation, is very common and affects in excess of 50% of the population.
Excessive pronation often leads to problems locally in the foot and ankle, such as ball of foot pain (metatarsalgia), heel pain (plantar fasciitis) and Achilles pain (Achilles tendonitis). Poor alignment of the feet can cause increased stress and problems in other parts of the body. As the feet pronate, the lower leg, knee and hip rotates inwards. This causes the pelvis to drop down and rotate inwards, increasing the curve in the low back. If the pronation is greater on one side than the other, it will cause the pelvis to tilt, creating a curvature in the low back. Due to this 'knock-on' effect of foot pronation, it is not uncommon for chiropractors to see patients with a wide range of conditions from foot and ankle pain to knee and hip pain or just generally achy or tired legs.
As always with chiropractic, the answer is not just to treat the symptoms, but to treat the underlying cause, giving a long term solution. So, as well as treatment to address joint mobility, nerve function and muscle balance, your chiropractor, if appropriate, will prescribe foot orthotics to be worn in the shoe. These will help to align the foot to its neutral position, thereby supporting all the structures higher up, allowing them to function properly.
The type of orthotic we prescribe at Park Street Chiropractic is the Biothotic. These are custom-made orthotics that come in three different styles to suit different types of footwear and uses. Biothotics are specifically moulded to your feet by injecting water into the sole of the orthotic. A resin inside expands to fit your foot and provide the support where it is needed.
To find out more about orthotics and how they could help you, please get in touch by visiting the contact us page and sending a message or calling us on 01926 881883.