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Do you have a pain or pains that keep returning to certain areas of your body? It could be to your lower back, or your knee or your hip. Or maybe it’s a discomfort that’s been nagging at you. If a pain or discomfort keeps returning to certain areas in your body, this is what we describe as a recurring pain pattern.
THE MAIN CAUSE OF PAIN
What causes patterns of pain?
One main reason you keep getting recurring pain is because the arches in your feet collapse.
Foot Levelers, an expert in custom orthotics, states:
“Your feet support the weight of [your] entire body using a strong, 3-arched bond called the plantar vault. Over time, one or more of your arches will weaken due to gravitational pressure – a completely natural process that can sometimes be expedited by injuries, a short leg, improper posture and naturally weak ligaments and tendons.”
In addition, ligaments, tendons, muscles and fascia in your feet are under constant and long-term stress. This then results in the collapse in one or more arches of your foot. In the case of flat feet, it is a result of all three arches of your feet collapsing.
Flat feet, collapsed arches and patterns of pain
Flat feet (foot hyperpronation) is one of the main reasons why you experience patterns of pain because they are “less shock-absorbent, and make for a less stable “base” for everything above—the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons of the entire body”.
Dr Luke explains: “When the arches in your feet collapse, the alignment and stability of your pelvis will be affected, which in turn causes the rest of your spine and neck to compensate by tilting to the side. It is this cascade of collapse/compensation that causes your pain and other symptoms to keep returning. This is what we call your pattern of pain.”
Collapsed arches can also cause pain and discomfort in soft tissue throughout the body. It is also the most common cause of knee pain, as well as a major contributing factor to knee arthritis. Flat feet is also a major cause of foot/heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis, which is the swelling and irritation of the tissue at the bottom of your foot.
“When the loading of a tissue exceeds the capacity of that tissue, compensatory physiological changes occur” – Foot Levelers.
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THE SOLUTION:
Why supporting the arch of your feet matters
Supporting the arch in your feet, especially in cases of flat feet, helps to stop the pelvis from collapsing and in turn, prevents the cascade of collapse/compensation.
This helps you to break out of your patterns of pain, and even hold chiropractic adjustments for longer. Without the arch collapse and consequent compensation of the spine, you can reduce back and neck aches.
HOW AGAPE CAN HELP YOU REDUCE YOUR PAIN, AND BREAK YOU OUT OF YOUR PAIN PATTERNS
To help you better support the arch in your feet and subsequently prevent patterns of pain, we use a combination of chiropractic adjustment techniques and prescription orthotics at Agape.
Dr Luke has many chiropractic adjustment techniques that he uses – all of which help in correcting misalignments so as to help you break the pattern(s) of pain. The techniques he uses for each patient differs according to each case. You can read more about the techniques we use here.
These chiropractic adjustments will correct mechanical movement problems of the spine as well as correct the misalignments and compensations of the spine. However, as we all walk around for extended periods of time (especially when there’s the 10,000 steps a day goal!), the arch(es) in our feet will collapse again and gradually return the spine to its usual pattern of misalignment, resulting in the build-up of pain.
Foot Levelers are proven as “a powerful first-line treatment in the battle against [lower back pain]”, and this is the reason we work with them to create customised prescription foot support, or orthotics, for each patient.
Are you experiencing any recurring pain? Or perhaps you are looking for some customised foot support? Or maybe you just have some questions regarding flat feet? Then don’t hesitate to contact us for a quick chat! =)
