Foot Pain AND Low Back Pain? Try this simple stretch.

Many of my patients are surprised to find out that Chiropractic care can help those with foot and ankle pain. Common problems such as plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, and achilles tendonitis, often improve with foot adjustments and home exercises. Sometimes orthotics or inserts can help as well. Yes many chiropractors are taught adjustments for just about any joint in your body, so if you are unsure, please ask.

Whats even more surprising for some people is how their foot pain is related to their low back pain. To be clear, I am not talking about a pinched nerve in the low back creating pain in the foot. That is possible. But even more common is when systems of muscles develop a weak link.

One common example is when muscles behind the knee become short and tight. This is not the same as a tight hamstring. There is a system of muscles that starts at the bottom of the feet, then goes to the calf muscles, then to the hamstring muscles, then to the gluteal muscles, then to the low back, then upper back, then neck. Keep in mind that muscles NEVER work in isolation. They have to work in systems. So to isolate them for therapeutic purposes is counterproductive. There is often no pain behind the knee when this happens, so you likely don't know that you have it. This tight and short area of muscles and fascia are responsible for some people's achilles tendonitis, or plantar fasciitis, or gluteal pain, or low back pain. The weak link behind the knee is making the other painful areas work harder.

But stretching this area effectively is the key.

You are probably thinking "Why am I not touching my toes?" It's because we are trying to stretch the muscles behind the knee, not the hamstrings! Yes the hamstrings are part of the problem, but so are the gastrocnemius, plantaris and popliteus muscles. Think of WHY this area is tight to begin with. It is because we sit too much. We live in a culture where it is often necessary to sit too much, and that is NOT going to change. The sitting position puts the knees in a bent position. This is why the muscles in this area shorten and become tight. The muscles at the top of the leg, where the hamstrings start, are NOT shortened in this sitting position. Once again, to be clear, you probably don't have pain behind the knee. But trying to stretch that area is often painful, and that is exactly why we DON'T like to do it.

Don't get too aggressive with the height of the foot while stretching this area. Stay with a low chair, ottoman, or the bottom stair of a staircase. Use the railing of the staircase, or another chair for stability. DON'T bend the supporting knee. DON'T twist out the foot of the supporting leg. DO stand tall and stick your chest out and your butt out slightly. And most importantly, let it relax and BREATHE.

This one stretch alone is a good start to resolving the problem, but often it is not enough. Adjustments and more corrective exercises are usually needed for long term success.