The Connection Between Footwear and Pelvic Health
This is Part I of Dr. Amanda’s series on the Foot-Shoe Connection
Proper shoe selection is critical in maintaining optimal overall body mechanics and performance.
Footwear plays a crucial role in overall body health, especially when managing conditions like pelvic pain, lower back pain, hip discomfort, and even leakage. At our practice, we often encounter patients with strict preferences about their shoes, unaware that their choice of footwear might be exacerbating their pain. Here, we'll explore the connection between your feet and the rest of your body, and why selecting the right shoes is vital for your well-being. [Find more on shoe selection here.]
“The way your feet move and bear weight directly impacts the rest of your body influencing everything from your hips to your lower back.”
When assessing a patient, we examine their posture and movement from head to toe, paying close attention to the feet. The way your feet move and bear weight directly impacts the rest of your body, influencing everything from your hips to your lower back. For instance, if your arch collapses when you stand, this misalignment can travel up the kinetic chain, causing or worsening pain in your knees, hips, and lower back. This chain of events also impacts people with urinary leakage and even constipation!
Let’s take a closer look!
Your feet can indirectly affect your urinary leakage and pelvic floor dysfunction (including pelvic pain, prolapse and constipation):
1. Posture and Pelvic Alignment
Misalignment: If you have foot problems like flat feet, high arches, or abnormal gait patterns (e.g., overpronation), these can affect your posture and the alignment of your pelvis. Poor pelvic alignment can lead to an imbalance in the pelvic floor muscles, which are crucial for maintaining bladder control.
Pelvic Tilt: Improper foot mechanics can cause a forward or backward tilt of the pelvis, which may place additional strain on the pelvic floor muscles. A weakened pelvic floor can contribute to urinary leakage, especially during activities that increase abdominal pressure (like coughing, sneezing, or exercising).
2. Impact on Core Stability
Core Muscle Engagement: The way you stand and walk influences how your core muscles, including the pelvic floor, engage. Poor foot alignment can disrupt the natural engagement of these muscles, reducing the support they provide to the bladder and urethra, which can lead to urinary incontinence.
3. Nerve Pathways
Nerve Compression: Abnormal foot mechanics can contribute to changes in the way your spine and pelvis move. This can potentially lead to nerve compression or irritation in the lower back and pelvic region, which might affect bladder control.
4. Pressure on Pelvic Floor
Increased Pressure: Foot issues that alter your posture can lead to increased pressure on the pelvic floor. If the pelvic floor is weak or if there is already some level of dysfunction, this added pressure can exacerbate urinary leakage.
5. Footwear Choices
Improper Footwear: Wearing shoes that don’t provide adequate support or that alter your posture (e.g., high heels) can lead to poor alignment and increased stress on the pelvic region, potentially contributing to urinary incontinence. [Find more on shoe selection here.]
Whether your complaint is low back pain, foot pain (ie plantar fasciitis), or even a pelvic floor dysfunction, such as leakage, pelvic pain or constipation, your feet can directly and indirectly affect your symptoms.
Read on! Find more information on this important topic as Dr. Amanda’s discussion continues>>
