In Part 6 of this corrective exercise series on the causes and cures of lower back pain, Justin Price (creator of The BioMechanics Method) explains the best upper body exercises for addressing the underlying causes of lower back pain.
Everyone understands the benefit of using a foam roller for self-massage. It helps relieve chronic muscle tension, breakup adhesions, increase blood supply, release toxins, improve flexibility, decrease stress and enhance movement potential. However, people with limited mobility (or who find it difficult to get down on the ground) sometimes miss out on these wonderful techniques as they require a lot of flexibility, balance and upper body strength to perform correctly. This doesn’t need to be the case. In this short video Justin Price (creator of The BioMechanics Method) explains how to adapt many of the most beneficial self-massage and self-myofascial release techniques so anyone can perform them (and benefit) regardless of their age, current physical ability and capacity.
When weight is transferred correctly through the foot and ankle during activities like walking, running and squatting, the foot and ankle should roll inwards (i.e., evert) and flex forward (i.e., dorsiflex). However, when a person overpronates the foot and ankle collapses toward the midline of the body limiting dorsiflexion and the correct transfer of weight into the foot. This collapsing prevents one of the major muscles that support the medial longitudinal arch of the foot (i.e., flexor hallucis longus) from working correctly, and as a result, the foot/ankle collapses even further. This movement toward the midline (i.e., overpronation) can cause stress and pain to the ankle, knee, hip and lower back as these structures also collapse inwards following the motion of the foot.
Activation and strengthening of the muscle that holds up the medial longitudinal arch (i.e., flexor hallucis longus) can prevent overpronation, support the foot and ankle and reduce stress to all the structures of the lower kinetic chain. Below is a simple, yet effective exercise you can integrate into your daily activities and workouts to strengthen this muscle and help prevent one of the major causes of foot, ankle, knee, hip and back pain.
BIG TOE PUSHWDOWNS
Stand with your feet facing forward and raise the arches of your feet (i.e., roll your weight gently toward the outside of your feet) to create a neutral position for the feet and ankles. Align all of your toes so they are straight and press the big toe down toward the floor without “scrunching” the other toes. As you push the big toe down you should feel the muscles that runs under the arch of your foot activate. Hold this contracted position for 5 to 10 seconds, relax and repeat for 3 to 6 times every day to strengthen the muscles that helps hold up the medial longitudinal arch.
(Note: This exercise is part of The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification program and is an integral part of retraining the entire kinetic chain to prevent the causes of musculoskeletal dysfunction and recurring muscle/joint pain).
There are many complex musculoskeletal assessments you can perform to uncover the underlying causes of dysfunction and pain. However, the most simple assessments are usually the most effective as they can be easily implemented into your corrective exercise programs and explained to your clients. Take the following assessment for example. Look at your reflection in a full-length mirror. Do you notice that your waistband is no longer straight and has slipped down on one side or up on the other. You might also see that your pant leg is shorter on one side and you have to constantly pull that pant leg down so it doesn’t ride up above your shoes.
What does this mean? If you notice this phenomenon, you’re most likely habitually propping more of your body weight on one leg. Favoring to stand on one side not only places more pressure on the foot of that side, but also shifts your pelvis out of alignment. The result? Your waistband will no longer sit level on your hips. This habit of propping more weight on one leg may be more comfortable for you as you have gradually become used his position over the years. However, this extra pressure and weight you put on your stronger leg means there will also be more pressure put on the foot, ankle, knee, hip and back on that same side of your body. Over time, this can lead to pain.
If you notice this phenomenon you can correct this problem by continually adjusting your pants by pulling on the shorter leg throughout the day, but this won’t help your body feel any better. The long-term fix involves teaching your body to evenly distribute your weight on both sides. Incorporate self-myofascial release exercises to take pressure off overworked muscles, stretch those muscles that are preventing you from accepting weight correctly and strengthen those muscles on your weaker side. Relearning to distribute your weight evenly takes time to reeducate your nervous system so that all the balance mechanisms in your body accept this new position/posture. However, your patience and persistence will pay huge dividends in the long run as your entire body begins to feel and function better.
Foot and ankle pain affects almost a quarter of the population. However, finding the real cause and (possible cures) can be frustrating and sometimes confusing for both you and your clients. In this short video, Justin Price (creator The BioMechanics Method) demonstrates an easy visual assessment you can use (and how to communicate the process in simple terms to your clients) to uncover one of the most common causes of foot and ankle pain.
