My Back Pain Could be Coming From Where??

When it comes to back pain, there are so many factors that could be playing a part in its cause. For one, it can be really easy to forget about the small part of our body that makes a huge difference… your feet! Many people don’t realize that a lot of times, wearing improper footwear can lead to immense back pain. Everyone has a unique foot type, which is often determined by the arch. Some people have really flat feet, while others have more of a defined arch between the ball and heel of their foot. Because there are unique foot types, this means that the same kinds of shoes that are comfortable or beneficial for someone else might not be comfortable for you, and vice versa. It is important to know your foot type so that you know which types of shoes are going to be the best fit for your body so that you do not suffer residual effects down the road like back pain and spine misalignment.

You might be wondering- how do I figure out my foot type? Well, there are a few ways for you to determine this, and you don’t need to see a doctor or podiatrist. There are three main different foot types: neutral arch, low arch, and high arch. The height of your arch affects the direction and severity of the way your foot rolls which can be in towards your body or away. This type of rolling can affect the knees which affect the pelvis, and, you guessed it, the back! 

Here are the three types and how they most likely roll:

● Neutral arch typically causes the foot to roll to a neutral spot.

● Low arch typically causes the foot to roll excessively inward, or to overpronate.

● High arch typically causes the foot to roll in only slightly at impact, or underpronate.

Determining Your Foot Type:

Take a look at the bottom of your running shoe. The wear on your shoe will likely reveal your foot type (Matthew (Matt) Weber).

● If your shoe shows even wear, you have a neutral arch and are a normal pronator.

● If the inner soles of your shoes are usually worn down, you are an over-pronator and probably have a low arch.

● If your shoe wear shows excessive wear on the outer soles, you are an under pronator and probably have a high arch.

Your feet support the weight of your entire body, absorb the shock generated when you run and walk, and help keep your spine properly aligned. If you choose shoes that don’t offer adequate support or place too much pressure on one part of your foot, the vertebrae in your spine may soon become misaligned. Misalignments can cause back and neck pain, muscle tension, spasms, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Hands-on myofascial release therapy can improve all of these, but subluxations may continue to occur if you don’t make a few simple lifestyle changes. Just as changing your shoes alone if you’re experiencing back pain won’t be the immediate fix. It’s always our advice to address your back pain with hands-on treatment by a specialist, then follow it up with great lifestyle habits and choices to keep up the good alignment! 

Of course, it’s hard to only wear the best arch support all of the time and for all occasions, but it’s important to be aware of how some of the shoes in your closet are impacting your back pain:

• Heels shorten your calf muscles and can put too much strain and pressure on the balls of your feet, making you change your gait and shift your center of gravity slightly forward. Heels also offer little to no arch support. 
• Flats have no arch support and very thin soles, offering no cushion or shock absorption from the ground. These shoes are also notorious for not fitting properly. Either they’re too small and your toes are squished in them, or they are sliding off your heel with every step you take. Both of these issues cause you to change your gait, which leads to increased pressure and strain on the spine, leading to neck and back pain. 
• Flip-flops and backless shoes are other popular choices for more casual settings, but they also bring about big problems for your spine. You have to squeeze your toes while you walk in order to keep your flip-flops on, and that tightens your arch and leads to foot pain, as well as affects your gait. They also offer barely any arch support or cushion, and they tend to make you walk with more weight on the outsides of your feet than on your heel.
• In the cold winter months, another popular shoe choice can also be the cause of some pain. Ugg boots or others like it while very soft and form-fitting, have no support against pronating or rolling on either side.

You don’t have to swear off all of your favorite shoes forever, however, it’s good to overhaul your shoe selection and make improvements and better choices where you can. Maybe that involves getting custom insoles to give you more arch support, or maybe it means wearing heels only twice a week instead of every day. Or maybe after learning more about how back pain can happen, you seek expert advice to see what’s the true root cause of YOUR back pain. When it comes to chronic pain, there’s always more than one factor and it’s likely not something that happened overnight. That’s why speaking with someone about your options and your body is so important if you want to really rid yourself of pain. That’s why at Arancia Physical Therapy we offer complimentary consults with an expert to make sure that we can find the right solution for you and your body. Visit us here at Arancia Physical Therapy to learn more about how this works. You can also reach out to us online here or by giving us a call at 401.602.7006. If you are in pain, don’t make yourself wait any longer- reach out for a free consultation today!

Works Cited

Matthew (Matt) Weber, D.P.M. “How to Determine Foot Arch Type.” Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/how-to-determine-foot-arch-type.