“The hip bone is connected to the leg bone, the leg bone is connected to the foot bone, the foot bone is connected to the …” you get the picture, everything is connected.
For this reason, a problem with your foot can cause a problem with your back, and a problem with your back can cause a problem with your foot. There are a lot of joints between your back and the ground, and this leaves a lot of room for problems to arise.
Flat feet
Plantar fasciitis
“Pidgeon” toes
“Knock” knees
“Bow-legged” knees
ITB - Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Arthritic joints
Healed Fractures
These are a small collection of the many conditions that can occur in the lower part of your body. Your body is very smart – intuitively, it will accommodate for such conditions through compensation. For instance, if you were to accidentally step on a tack with your left foot, before your brain can process this act your body automatically lifts the left foot and shifts all of your weight to your right foot. This is a reflex, and this is the act of compensation.
Your spine is composed of a series of moveable bones that have the purpose of providing you with structure, mobility, and protection of your nervous system. Your spine possesses tremendous flexibility, and it is this flexibility that your body relies on during times of compensation.
Injuries, chronic poor posture, and countless other factors contribute to stress on the spinal column. In an effort to accommodate for these stressors, your spinal column compensates by contorting itself. Contortion of your spine leads to structural misalignments and postural imbalances, which, if left untreated, will result in pain, diminished nervous system function, over-stressed joints and asymmetric muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In some cases, it can result in a pinched nerve with pain, weakness, and loss of sensation in your legs and feet.
Without proper care, these injuries can contribute to the development of painful conditions such as:
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Facet Irritation
Disc Degeneration
Disc Bulge/Herniation
Sprains & Strains
If you are experiencing problems with your back and/or your legs, make an appointment with your Comox Chiropractor, Dr. Houlgrave. The faster he is able to address your problems, the faster he can have you feeling better and the less likely it will be that you are causing damage to other areas of your body.
Chiropractic check-ups are the best way to correct and prevent abnormalities of the spine and extremities, and with their new custom orthotics computer gait analysis system, Houlgrave Chiropractic has you covered from head to foot.