There are a variety of foot problems that could be the cause of your back pain. Back pain can also be the cause of your foot pain. If you are in pain, consult with your podiatrist who will examine your feet and determine the cause of your discomfort.
How Foot and Back Pain Are Related
If you have flat feet or high arches, your feet can be improperly aligned and cause misalignment in the hips and knees—which can lead to poor posture resulting in back pain. Your back pain could also be caused by sciatica or a degenerative disk condition that can impede the nerves and cause back and spine pain leading to the feet. Other conditions such as plantar fasciitis can cause pain in the feet and back as well.
The following are symptoms that suggest your foot pain is related to your back problem:
- Pain on only one side of the foot
- Leg and calf pain
- Trouble with raising your foot
- Pain and numbness in the foot
- Foot feels heavy
Treatment Options
Depending on the cause of your foot or back pain, there are different treatment options available such as:
- Exercise. There are a variety of exercises that can relieve the pain in your feet and back as well as help you feel better overall. Exercises can be done to strengthen the tendons in your feet and help relieve back pain.
- Massage. An effective treatment for foot and back pain is massage. Massage can be done for the lower back to reduce pain and can also be done for the feet. A simple massage technique is to take a tennis ball and push it back and forth under the foot starting at the heel. This can relax the muscles of the feet and results in reducing pain in the back.
- Reflexology. Certain areas of the feet can be stimulated in order to provide relief from back pain. Reflexology focuses on areas on the inside of each foot to correspond with the spine. This technique soothes and relaxes the entire body.
- Medication. Anti-inflammatory medication or corticosteroid injections can sometimes help with foot or back pain.
- Surgery. When conservative measures don’t provide the necessary relief, surgery may be the best option to relieve the pain.
Contact Us for Help
If you are experiencing foot and back pain, Greater Washington Advanced Podiatry can help. We offer a free initial consultation and can create a customized plan to get you pain-free and back on your feet as soon as possible. To set up an initial appointment, fill out our contact form or call us at (301) 515-FEET.
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