Why your feet could be giving you back ache

Experts say that orthotics could be the answer to curing leg, knee and even lower back pain.

Some estimate that the distance we travel on our feet every ten years is equivalent to the Earth's circumference. So the 26 bones and 33 joints that make up each foot take a pounding over the course of a lifetime. Given that between one and two times a person's entire body weight is absorbed as much as three and a half times when running, it is hardly surprising that they are susceptible to injury.

For instance, collapsed foot arches, also known as flat feet, can be caused by weakening of the muscles in the feet through sustained strain. This is made worse by wearing high heels, ageing and weight gain. As a result of this strain, the heel can turn outwards at the ankle, causing a painful grinding of the knee. It can even result in lower back pain.

Biomechanics is a highly technical arm of medicine. It deals with human motion to determine normal and abnormal limitations placed upon the body. Emel specialises in this field, and will be able to examine your feet for biomechanical faults. She can help establish a treatment plan, perhaps with the use of orthotics.

By creating extra support underneath specific parts of the feet - lifting the ankle a few millimetres, for example - insoles, made of foam rubber or carbon fibre, rebalance the action of the foot and correct other mechanics of gait.

Which conditions can be treated / alleviated?

Simon Costain of the Gait & Posture Centre in Harley Street says that around 70 to 80% of patients referred to his clinic by GPs can benefit from orthotics. He estimates that orthotics could also help up to 70% of the general population to treat or prevent injuries or improve the efficiency of the gait.

Call Foot Health Chiropodist & Podiatrist for a full clinical (biomechanical) examination and gait analysis. We will provide you with the appropriate orthopaedic device if necessary, allowing your foot to work within its normal ranges and maintain good posture and upper body control. By achieving this, pain and discomfort will be dramatically reduced.