I have recently noticed that almost all my students who have lower back pain have a relatively strong anterior pelvic tilt (APT).
You know, when we have a big curve in the lower back and it looks like we’re sticking the bum back.
And ALL of these students with an APT and lower back pain… also have pronated feet. This is commonly known as flat feet.
This happens when the muscles in the arch of the foot are too weak and collapse inwards.
So, how are the feet and back connected?
When the arches of the feet are collapsed, it causes a chain reaction along the leg:
- The knees fall inwards
- The femurs rotate inwards too
- The pelvis tilts forwards
- The lower back arches
The lower back ends up being in a curved position all of the time, which creates a lot of tension in the muscles of the area.
You can stretch and massage these muscles for temporary relief, but as long as you don’t treat the cause, the pain will come back.
How to fix it?
- Strengthening the arches of the feet with specific exercises and awareness when standing/walking/doing yoga.
- In-soles placed in the shoes can help with the pain, but they don’t do anything to solve the issue.
If you need help with flat feet or back pain, send me a DM :)