Can my feet be causing my low back pain?
Dr. Zachery Main assessing a patient for foot issues.
Can my feet be causing my low back pain?
By Zach Main DC
The Surprising Connection Between Your Feet and Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common complaints we see in practice, but what surprises a lot of people is how often the real issue starts at the feet.
As chiropractors, we talk a lot about posture, proper alignment, and muscle balance. But the feet are your body’s foundation. If that foundation isn’t stable, everything above it, especially your hips and lower back, can start to feel the strain.
How Foot Mechanics Influence the Low Back
Every step you take sends forces up the chain: through your ankles, knees, hips, and ultimately your spine. If there’s dysfunction in the feet—like flat arches, overpronation, or high, rigid arches—that impact can ripple upward and create compensations higher up in the body. The pelvis might tilt. The lower back might be overworked. Eventually, discomfort becomes pain.
Over time, poor foot mechanics can alter the way you move and load your spine. This often leads to muscle imbalances, joint stress, and that familiar achy, tight feeling in the lower back.
Why Foot Stability (and Those Tiny Muscles) Matter
Your feet aren’t just passive shock absorbers—they’re active stabilizers. And a lot of that stability comes from the intrinsic foot muscles—small, often overlooked muscles that support your arches and help control your movement.
When these muscles are weak, your foot can’t do its job well. Weight shifts unevenly. Arches collapse or become too rigid. That instability travels up the chain, affecting how your knees, hips, and spine move and bear load. Strengthening those intrinsic muscles is a game-changer, not just for your feet but for your entire posture.
Why We Recommend Barefoot Shoes
At Northcenter Healthcare, we’re big advocates for barefoot-style shoes. Why? Because they enable your feet to move as they were naturally designed to. Most traditional footwear restricts foot mobility and compensates with thick soles or arch support. That might feel better temporarily, but it also stops your foot muscles from doing the work they’re meant to do.
Barefoot shoes, on the other hand, promote natural movement. They help engage and strengthen those intrinsic muscles, improve foot posture, and restore balance throughout the kinetic chain. Over time, that can reduce the pelvic compensations and spinal stress that contribute to low back pain.
The Science Behind It
Studies indicate that abnormal foot posture can increase load on the lumbar spine. Muscles such as the abductor hallucis and flexor digitorum brevis support the medial arch and serve as shock absorbers. When these muscles are weak or underused, the foot collapses inward, and that additional stress doesn’t stop there. It travels up the chain.
The more naturally your feet move, the better your body can absorb force, stay balanced, and avoid unnecessary tension in the back.
Signs Your Feet Might Be Contributing to Your Back Pain
Uneven wear on your shoes
Noticeably flat or high arches
Feet that roll in or out when you walk
Recurrent ankle, knee, or hip pain
Low back pain that’s worse after standing or walking
A professional gait analysis or posture screen can help determine whether your foot mechanics are playing a role.
What You Can Do About It
Here are a few ways to start addressing foot-related low back pain:
Barefoot Shoes: Transition slowly, but these can help strengthen foot muscles and improve alignment. Some popular and well-trusted brands include Xero (Xero Shoes Link) Flux Footwear, and Vivo Barefoot, among others.
Foot-Friendly Footwear: If barefoot shoes aren’t for you (yet), choose shoes with proper support and replace worn-out pairs regularly.
Orthotics: Custom or off-the-shelf inserts can help support your arches and correct alignment. It is important to note that these are temporary fixes and may not be needed for the rest of your life.
Foot Strengthening Exercises: Things like toe yoga, toe curls, and marble/towel pickups go a long way.
Chiropractic Care: Adjustments to the feet can help restore proper mechanics and in turn, can reduce compensatory tension in the low back. We combine that with movement strategies tailored to you.
Final Thoughts
Your feet and your low back are more connected than you might think. When you take the time to strengthen your foundation through better footwear, consistent mobility/stability work, and chiropractic care, you can create long-term improvements that go way beyond pain relief.
If you’re dealing with ongoing low back pain, don’t overlook your feet. Start from the ground up.
Whether you’re an athlete, parent, weekend warrior, or someone tired of constant low back pain, we’re here to help you recover better and move with confidence again. Recover better, live more!
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