April is National Foot Health Awareness Month, a designation set by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) to help educate the public on the importance of foot health. Here at Foster Chiropractic, we are proud to join the association in celebrating this month. After all, your feet are an important tool in your overall mobility and balance. From the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning to the time you get back in bed at night, your feet are on the move, getting you from one point to another, which makes it crucial to keep your feet healthy and pain-free.

Aching Feet: The Cause of More Pain

Many people suffer from some type of foot pain. This pain can take many forms:

• Neuropathy: Numbness or tingling in the foot or extremities due to poor circulation.
• Plantar Fasciitis: Heel pain caused by inflammation of the band of tissues that runs along the bottom of your foot.
• Achilles Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendon that runs down the back of your leg. 

It’s bad enough when your feet hurt. It makes every step painful. But aching feet also cause us to compensate in our movements, trying to avoid putting weight on the foot that might be painful, which then leads to pain in other parts of the body. For example, someone who suffers from plantar fasciitis might avoid leaning back on their heels, which causes an irregular gain and leads to hip and back pain. 

Problems Even When Your Feet Don’t Hurt

Many people suffer from knee, hip, back or neck pain due to problems with the feet, and it’s obvious why you have back pain if you’re compensating for something like the pain of plantar fasciitis. But people can also have pain-free feet, yet suffer from a condition which leads to further pain. For example, people who have weak arches that don’t support their feet well for proper alignment might find themselves suffering from back pain. Other types of misalignment among the 26 bones within the foot can lead to compensation in posture or movements in ways that cause bad posture or poor mobility, which leads to pain in various parts of the body.

Taking Care of the Problems, from Head to Toe

Whether you’re experiencing neck and back pain or specifically foot pain, a visit to the chiropractor can help you relieve your symptoms and prevent further pain. As a chiropractor certified in extremities, Dr. Scott Foster is especially in-tune with foot issues that can lead to further pain. 

One of the treatments often suggested for foot pain is ART (active release therapy), which is an advanced form of massage therapy that will help with the alignment of the many bones in the foot and ankle. This type of therapy is beneficial for those who are currently suffering from foot pain.

Another aspect of treatment is to examine the feet with a 3D Body ViewR Imaging Unit from Foot Levelers. This tool allows Dr. Foster to identify any problems that might be causing foot pain or pain in other parts of the body. Once the cause of the pain is pinpointed, we can make an orthotic to help alleviate the pain. For example, if the problem is pronation, or weak arches, an orthotic that provides extra support can improve your posture and help ease pain throughout the body.

Take advantage of National Foot Health Awareness Month to be sure your feet are getting all the support they need to support your body. Make an appointment with Foster Chiropractic today to have your feet and posture examined and make sure you’re living as pain-free as possible.