
Lower Back Pain - The Foot Connection
Almost 60% Indians will face lower back problems at least once in their lifetime. This is a staggering number. Let’s understand what we’re doing wrong as a society that our own bodies become a source of pain for us.
Understanding the function of the lower back
The lower back, also known as the lumbar spine, has various functions.
It helps support the weight of the body, it provides stability in your movements and acts as a junction for various muscles and ligaments.
Simply put, without a good lumbar spine function, walking, running, sitting, lifting, and moving would be impossible.
The problems
Most back problems begin from bad posture, inactive lifestyle and an overall depletion of strength in nearby muscles. All these are linked to one another. A lifestyle where we sit all the time, shortens our muscles in the front of the body, adding additional stress on the lower back.
Weak muscles due to lack of physical activity means that more weight is borne by the discs in the lower back than the muscles, and even minor imbalances can lead to catastrophic problems and leave you in pain.
Another major reason for lower back problems stems from tight hamstrings and posterior chain imbalances. Posterior chain, meaning the backside of your body from your feet to your neck.
A lot of these imbalances start from your feet. When your feet muscles get weak, or if you walk “incorrectly” due to artificially cushioned shoes, you cannot engage your glutes for movement.
This unnatural movement transfers load to parts of your body that were not designed for a particular movement causing problems slowly but surely.
Looking for solutions
The answer to our problems lies in the problem itself. Pain is a symptom. Your lower back pain is a symptom of a weak and imbalanced lower back. No amount of passive physiotherapy will provide a sustainable solution.
The only solution to bulletproof your back and truly live a fuller life is to work from your feet up.
It is important to train your feet naturally, fix your gait by walking more barefoot and in barefoot shoes. This will develop your arch and give you a better chance at improving your natural posture.
On top of this, working to strengthen the lower back directly with isometric holds and back extensions slowly and gradually is the way to go.
One thing that trumps all solutions and that applies to all solutions is to keep moving. To continually move within your pain- free range of motion and keep pushing slowly and steadily to regain your child-like mobility and confidence.
Here is a link to our free mobility guide that can help you get started on your journey to a pain-free life, and right below is our barefoot shoe Origin that can be your day - to - day for working on your foot health.