How Your Feet Could Be Fueling Your Back Pain

When most people picture chiropractic care, they envision spinal adjustments and relief for stiff necks or aching backs. Yet the true starting point for a pain-free spine is far below your shoulders—down at your feet. Every step you take sends shockwaves through a chain of joints that runs from your arches to your neck. When that chain begins on a crooked foundation, the entire structure above must compensate, creating the very misalignments and muscle spasms that bring patients to our clinic.

Your Body’s Kinetic Chain

Think of your feet as the footings of a skyscraper. If one footing shifts even a few millimeters, the building slowly leans until cracks appear on the 30th floor. In human terms, collapsed arches (over-pronation) or feet that roll outward (supination) cause the ankles to twist, knees to rotate, hips to drift, and the pelvis to tilt. The lumbar spine then bends and compresses in ways it was never designed for, producing the disc pressure, joint irritation, and nerve pain that so many people mistake as “just a bad back.”

Research Spotlight: Small Imbalances, Big Consequences

• Foot & Ankle Research found that people with flat feet experience 18 percent higher lumbar-disc compression while walking compared with those who have neutral arches.
• The Spine Journal reports that abnormal foot mechanics are linked to a 70 percent increase in chronic low-back pain, even after accounting for weight and age.
• In Gait & Posture, simple foot-strength drills reduced lumbar-pain intensity by one-third in just eight weeks—outperforming core-only exercise plans.

Hidden Clues Your Feet Are the Culprit

• Uneven shoe wear—inside or outside edges vanish faster
• Morning foot stiffness that eases after the first few steps
• One pant-leg always rides higher; your pelvis may be rotated
• Persistently tight hamstrings or hip flexors no matter how much you stretch
• A fresh bout of back pain after switching to minimalist shoes, worn-out sneakers, or high heels

Fixing the Foundation: Practical Solutions You Can Start Today

Rebuild Your Arches
Toe-splay drills and “arch domes” activate underused foot muscles that support proper alignment from the ground up.

Choose Supportive Footwear
Pick shoes with a firm heel counter and a flex point at the ball of the foot, then replace running shoes every 300-500 miles (the midsole breaks down long before the tread).

Custom Orthotics—Used Wisely
A recent systematic review shows that custom insoles often cut back-pain severity in half, but only when paired with corrective exercises.

Whole-Body Alignment at InBalance Chiropractic
By correcting foot mechanics and spinal alignment together, patients typically experience faster, longer-lasting relief than with spine-only care.

Ready to Stand Tall Again?

Try our first-visit treatment for just $49. To reserve your spot—call us at (715) 623-5300. Your feet (and your back) will thank you.

Smart foundations. Stronger spines. – InBalance Chiropractic