Can a Chiropractor Help with Foot Problems?

When you feel pain, most of the time, you assume the problem comes from that area. For instance, if you stub your toe, it usually hurts there for a short time. But your body’s nervous system can sometimes be much more complicated and potentially confusing. For example, if you are experiencing foot pain, you may need to see a chiropractor, who is known to deal with neck, back, and other alignment issues.

How can this professional help with foot pain and other foot-related problems? Keep reading to find out!

How Your Spine Affects Your Feet

In the nervous system, the brain and spinal cord are connected to every part of the body. For feet specifically, the sciatic nerve (among others) extends from the base of the spine down into the feet. As a result, if the sciatic or other nerves connected to the feet are compressed, you can feel numbness, tingling, or pain in your feet. Compression can be a result of improperly aligned hips, knees, ankles, or vertebrae.

Spinal misalignment in conditions like spinal stenosis or a herniated disc can also compress nerves that serve the feet, leading to similar symptoms.

How Your Feet Affect Your Spine and Other Areas

Just as misalignment in your spine can send painful signals to your feet, problems with your feet can send painful signals up through your nervous system. Your feet bear the load of your entire body, and they keep it stable as you walk, stand, and shift your weight. Consequently, if your feet do not perform this function, it can lead to misalignment in several joints, including hips, knees, and lower back, causing compression on other nerves.

A common foot problem that can impact the spine is plantar fasciitis, a condition where the arch of the foot doesn’t receive the necessary support, leading to heel pain and imbalance in the lower back and hips.

How a Chiropractor Can Help with Foot Issues

At first, a chiropractor may not seem like the first logical choice for foot treatment. However, even if the problem does originate from the feet, a chiropractor can relieve your pain both in the localized area and at its source.

Chiropractic adjustments to the spine and sciatic nerve can take pressure off these important nerves, restoring feeling and comfort in your feet. If your feet are the underlying cause, your chiropractor can prescribe orthotic inserts to give support to your arches.

In the case of foot and spinal pain, regular ongoing chiropractic treatment may be necessary to keep symptoms under control.

Although your chiropractor may not be the professional that initially comes to mind as the one who can help you in this situation, you should turn to them if you face pain and these other issues. They can help you identify where the source of the pain is and give you treatment to restore your function and comfort.

About the Author

At AlignRight Injury & Rehab near Dallas, Dr. Zinovy Chukhman or Dr. Z treats patients with various problems including those involving the feet. He has completed all four levels of certification with the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and has proficiency in multiple treatment techniques, including flexion-distraction, Gonstead, and others. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Z, contact our office online or call us at 972-907-2800.