Your Feet are Your Foundation
Did you know that 25% of your bones and muscles are located below the ankle? With 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons, your feet are incredibly complex.
All parts of your body are linked together. And your feet are the foundation! Your feet are the foundation for your entire body. Your entire body is supported and balanced by your feet. They must be able to properly support your body; allow you to stand, walk, run, and jump; and absorb damaging shock that enters your body every time your heel hits the ground.
That means, if you are having problems with your feet, your entire body will suffer. You can experience pain in your knees, hips, and lower back when you have ongoing foot problems. Foot issues can also cause imbalance, poor posture, and more. Good foot health is essential for an active life.
At Active Spine and Joint Institute, we are mindful of the entire body. As we meet with our patients, we observe and will look to treat the root causes of your chronic pain appropriately treat. While foot pain is not always preventable, the good news is that with the right care plan, it can make it short-lived. Treatment typically consists of chiropractic manipulation, orthotic shoes, exercise, or other non-surgical or drug-free options to reduce foot pain.
What are some common conditions that affect our feet?
Flat Feet
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Achilles Tendinitis
Bursitis
Sports-related injuries
How does foot pain affect the rest of the body?
If you are changing the way you walk to avoid pain, you may be overcompensating and causing back pain.
Misalignments can start in the ankle, and then work up to the knees, hips, spine, and neck. Your body will naturally compensate, causing you to walk, sit, and stand in unhealthy ways.
Without the proper arch support, your knee and hip joints take more of an impact for walking, running, standing, etc.
In addition to bones and joints, any pain in the foot muscles, tendons, and ligaments can commonly travel into your legs.
Balance can be thrown off, making you more prone to accidental slips and falls.
What if my foot pain is caused by neuropathy?
Active Spine and Joint Institute has an insurance-covered treatment option specifically designed to treat the pain and symptoms associated with neuropathy. Due to the numbness, tingling, and hot and cold sensations that so many experience with neuropathy, it becomes very dangerous. Even something such as a small cut on your foot could become life-threatening.
If I have foot pain, what should I do?
Many of us don’t give our feet the care and attention, especially for those that are experiencing the pain and symptoms associated with neuropathy. Active Spine and Joint Institute can help address some of the issues listed above. Our team can look at your gait and foot function, identify what is causing your pain, and determine the best course of treatment. Active Release Techniques (ART), a type of active massage that shortens the muscle, tendon, or ligament before applying hand pressure to the feet to stretch and lengthen the tissues, may be used. ART is very helpful in treating plantar fasciitis and many other sources of foot pain that can interfere with basic walking, as well as sports, recreation, and work activities. While the length of the treatment program varies from person to person, a few treatments may produce significant results. We may also recommend shoe inserts (orthotics) to help relieve some of your pain.
If you are experiencing foot pain, come talk to the team at Active Spine and Joint Institute. Set up a consultation in our office by calling 609-886-8585 or scheduling an appointment online or in our app.