Foot posture, foot function and low back pain: the Framingham Foot Study.
Almost everyone will experience low back pain during their life. Among many causes of low back pain, aging plays an important role. During aging, our spine often undergoes degenerative changes, which may even start in our 30s, making us prone to low back pain. Foot posture and function may be possible risk factors for low back pain. This study hypothesized that people with abnormal foot posture or foot function are more likely to report low back pain.
Low back pain, foot posture (planus, cavus, or asymmetrical), and foot function (pronated, supinated, or asymmetrical) were analyzed in 863 men (mean age, 64.5) and 1067 women (mean age, 63.4). Neither foot posture nor asymmetry in foot posture or function was associated with low back pain. However, compared to the normal foot function reference group, pronated foot function was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of low back pain in women.
In conclusion, pronated foot function when walking is associated with low back pain in women. The authors of this study emphasize the importance of incorporating a measure of dynamic foot function, as static measures of foot posture may not always provide an accurate indicator of dynamic foot function when walking. The results of study may imply that a disturbed foot function is associated with degenerative changes in the spine during aging > From Menz et al., Rheumatology (Oxford) (2013) (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to The Authors.
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