As the spring weather comes upon us – many of will bust those tennis shoes out of the closet, and lace them up for a quick jog through our streets and sidewalks. Whether you’ve just joined a baby boomer running group, or are getting ready to take on events like the Kent Island Marathon in Stevensville, the Mulligan Metric Marathon in Baltimore or the Maryland half marathon in Fulton, it is of crucial importance that you pay respect to your body – starting with your feet.
Your feet are the foundation of any running or walking routine. Comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 126 muscles and ligaments, our feet are surprisingly complex! We rely on them to absorb impact forces, maintain balance and as a lever to propel us forward during locomotion.
However, all too often I hear from my patients at Crofton Podiatry that they’ve been pushing through the pain in their feet, and now it has extended to other places such as their knees or their back. Back pain is an extremely common symptom, and is typically the result of excessive pronation in our feet, commonly a result of collapsed arches or ‘flat feet’. While a normal arch would support the body’s weight, a fallen arch fails to effectively align the body and absorb the impact forces from the body.
Therefore, if you suffer from chronic back pain as a result of long hours standing, or as a result of starting up a new walking or running regimen, you need to see a podiatrist. Due to the role feet play in our entire bodies function, the way we walk directly affects the way the rest of our body moves. Restoring the normal alignment of our feet helps to normalize the structure our knees, hips, and spines. If you are experiencing any of these pains, or want to get expert information to best prevent these types of chronic biomechanical instabilities, and if you’re in the Anne Arundel County, come check out our office in Crofton, MD right away before it gets any worse. We can give you a full biomechanical work-up and tailor your shoes, and orthotics to re-align your body, keeping your joints pain and problem free.
By Brad Toll.