This is a question I often get asked by patients and my answer is YES, custom orthotics do work for lower back pain. They can work on their own, but in my experience as a chiropractor, I often combine chiropractic treatment with custom orthotics for my patients with lower back pain. Frequently, custom orthotics will at the very minimum decrease the lower back pain and very often completely eliminate it. The effect is gradual but most patients report much diminished, or eliminated, back pain after a few months of custom orthotic wear. If you experience lower back pain after standing or walking for extended periods of time, custom orthotics will most likely work for you.

Most lower back pain patients come to me after already exhausting other strategies suggested to them from other health professionals. Many of these strategies are usually directed at the back which could include exercise, core strengthening, ice and heat, pain medications and more. Once many of these are tested with no results patients start searching for alternative treatments and many are surprised to start looking at the foot for solutions to back pain.

So, why do custom orthotics work for lower back pain when you are wearing them on your feet? Well, the musculoskeletal system is a connected entity starting from the feet to the neck so naturally all its parts will affect one another similar to chain links. This phenomenon is known as the Closed Chain of Links. The feet are the foundation of this chain and is the point where the rest of the body can align and stabilize itself. Subsequently, if support is lacking in the feet other parts of the body could endure additional stress leading to pain.

Imbalances in the feet, ankles and knees can also lead to an abnormal gait. These lower extremity imbalances contribute to pain in other parts of the body including the lower back. The best treatment to correct abnormal gaits is a combination of chiropractic adjustments and custom orthotics. The chiropractic adjustments will correct any alignment issues in the spine and the custom orthotics will help retain it by properly supporting the feet.

Custom orthotics will correct any foot imbalances for improved weight distribution. Once foot imbalances are addressed the lower extremities will be returned to their proper alignment. With the lower extremities aligned the pelvis can then return to it’s balanced location. Once the foundations for the spine are restored pain caused by poor body mechanics is eliminated. If you have back pain and would like to be fitted for custom orthotics, please contact us.

The post Do Orthotics Help Relieve Lower Back Pain? appeared first on .

Injuries sustained by individuals while playing high intensity sports or participating in demanding physical activities, such as a marathons, are usually more serious in nature compared to someone who just hurts themselves at home. More people increasingly participating in physical activities to better their health but at the same time they are also subjecting themselves to injuries. Many people live with with pain from injuries sustained while playing sports or other physical activities because they don’t want to give up the activity.

So how do we reduce our risk for injury? We all have been exposed to various techniques such as warming up, stretching, wearing protective equipment or not performing dangerous moves. But what many people don’t know is that footwear plays a large role in the occurrence of injuries Many people unknowingly wear the wrong footwear for their foot type or activity. If you are participating in an activity with fast, vigorous movements the type of footwear you wear is a very important decision. Contact us and we will be able to help you determine what shoe best fits you.

The post Footwear for Atheletes appeared first on .

Can back or knee pain be caused by issues in your feet? The answer is absolutely! But how do you determine when foot issues are the cause of back or knee pain. Well, that answer isn’t as simple. Although, most causes of pain stem from the body part in pain (ie back pain is usually related to muscles in the back or an alignment issue in the back). Some complex causes of back pain or knee pain can be a result of abnormal biomechanics in the feet.

Do you answer YES to these questions it may be time to check your feet to see if they are causing your back and knee pain.

Have had knee pain or back pain for over 6 months or even years?
Have you had treatment for the issue without any relief or does the treatment only help for a short period of time but the pain eventually returns?

The feet are the structural support for the entire body. How many hours do you spend on your feet? I’m guessing a lot! The way you walk maybe causing stress to specific joints ie the knees or backs, leading to back pain or knee pain. Correcting the underlying issue with orthotics and supporting the proper alignment in the foot can often result in relief of issues up the kinetic chain. What is the kinetic chain? This is referring to the link between your feet, ankle, knees, back and neck. The chain begins at your feet and goes all the way up, and the other joints are links in the chain. If there is a kink in the chain beginning at the feet it can cause issues or problem up the link or into other joints. Therefore any one who has chronic issues in their back or knees without a specific injury should have their feet examined. Contact us to make an appointment.

The post Feet Causing Back Or Knee Pain? appeared first on .