Understand why your lower back, hip, and knee pain persists. Includes a 30-second foot self-care routine.
Hello, this is San-chan.
Today, I'm talking about people who are told there is 'nothing wrong' despite being in pain.
Even if you silence it with painkillers, the pain will return. It's persistent.
Lately, when I listen to people in my healthcare classes, many say that having 'some kind of constant pain' has become normal once they pass 40.
Lower back. Hips. Knees.
So, they go to the hospital. They get tests done.
It ends with, 'There's no problem.'
...Wait, but it hurts, you know?
I'm going to say the opposite here.
Pain is often not a sign to 'rest'.
Pain is a stop command from your body.
But what you need to stop isn't 'moving,' it's the way you are moving.
Sometimes your lower back screams even though the cause isn't there.
Sometimes your hips work too hard, and your knees end up crying first.
These 'cases where the crime scene and the culprit are different' are not rare in rehabilitation settings.
And the prime suspect is the foot.
Basically, that's the only part in contact with the ground.
When your feet collapse, the parts above (knees, hips, lower back) start trying to compensate.
And that compensation usually hurts.
Today, I want you to stop chasing the painful area for a moment.
I will talk about how to re-read the route of your pain starting from your feet.
After reading this, you will be able to narrow down exactly what you need to do.
Chapter 1: The Lost in the Maze of Pain
It hurts.
But you don't know the cause.
This quietly wears down your spirit.
However, let me make one correction.
This type of pain is often reproducible.
The person just hasn't 'noticed' it yet.
For example.
A sharp pain in the lower back with the very first step in the morning
A locking sensation in the hip the moment you stand up from a chair
A sharp twinge in the knee 'only' when using stairs
It always feels heavy after sitting for a long time
Conversely, it feels a bit lighter once you start walking
This is 'conditional pain'.
It actually follows rules.
Yet, to the person experiencing it, it all seems disconnected.
Why?
Because the conditions that trigger the pain are scattered throughout your daily life.
Commuting. Desk work. Shopping. Housework. On-site labor.
It shows a slightly different face every time.
That's why you don't connect the dots.
And then you go to the hospital.
You get tests done.
You are told, 'Nothing is wrong.'
This 'nothing is wrong' is tough.
Because even though the pain is definitely there, you lose the place to explain it.
At this point, people are forced into one of two choices.
One is to endure it and get used to it.
The other is to try various things and get lost.
If you endure it, your life gradually becomes more restricted.
If you get lost, the amount of information increases, and you end up unable to move.
Watching videos and stretching.
Copying "this worked for me" posts on social media.
Buying a foam roller.
Going to a chiropractor.
But because there is no core focus, everything remains disconnected.
And so, you get tired.
You start thinking, "My body is such a hassle..."
However.
This is important.
This type of pain is not capricious.
In fact, it is incredibly consistent.
It occurs in the same way under the same conditions.
In other words, there is a similar route to the cause.
And what makes it tricky is that
the place that hurts is not necessarily the "address of the cause."
The place that hurts is the place that worked the hardest.
It just worked too hard and finally raised its voice.
That is why even if you touch "only that spot," the pain returns.
So, where should you start reading the route?
As an entry point, the feet are quite promising.
Chapter 2: The Convincing Kinetic Chain
I will simplify things from here.
The human body is not just a collection of parts.
It is a connected chain.
Foot.
Knee.
Hip joint.
Pelvis.
Spine.
If one part does not move well, another part works in its place.
This is called a kinetic chain.
It sounds difficult, but what it really means is "making ends meet."
And.
Pain is usually the "bill" for this making ends meet.
Pain occurs not in the "weakest place," but in the "place that worked too hard."
There is a common misunderstanding.
"Pain equals that part is broken."
Half of that is correct.
But the other half is off the mark.
This is what I often see in practice.
Instead of a joint that does not move, another joint moves too much
Instead of a muscle that cannot provide support, another muscle continues to work
Instead of the areas with dull sensation, other areas become over-tense.
As a result, the areas that worked too hard become inflamed.
That is pain.
In other words, pain is a message from your body.
It is a very honest message saying, 'I can't take it anymore. I want to stop working in your place.'
So, why are the feet so important?
This is the main topic for today.
For humans who walk on two legs, the feet are the
only gateway directly connected to the ground.
Information from the ground (hard, soft, sloped, slippery) enters the feet first.
Based on that information, the brain determines posture and movement.
In short, the feet are:
absorbing impact,
gathering information,
and signaling the next movement.
They perform this three-part set.
Rather than just a foundation, they are more like an 'input device'.
And when this input device malfunctions, the upper body malfunctions.
Moreover, the upper body malfunctions in a serious way.
It tries to compensate by thinking, 'I must not fall,' 'I must be able to move forward,' or 'I must not get tired.'
As a result, the knees twist.
The hip joints become jammed.
The lower back stiffens.
Sometimes it even involves the neck and shoulders.
Typical route (a common pattern)
I will leave out the technical names.
Just grasping the image is enough.
The feet tend to collapse inward(falling inward when stepping)
↓
The knees tend to turn inward (increased twisting)
↓
The hip joints cannot rotate outward properly, making them prone to jamming in the front or inside
↓
The pelvis and lower back create an 'escape route' to endure it
↓
Surfaces as lower back pain, hip pain, and knee pain
The opposite also happens.
The feet are too stiff to absorb impact
↓
The knees take the impact
↓
The hip joints take it
↓
The lower back takes it
Either way, the conclusion is the same.
When the feet change, the upper body changes.
When the upper body changes, the way pain manifests changes.
An important note here
If you jump to the conclusion that "So, my feet are the cause!"
you will get lost again.
Rather than being the "culprit," the feet are more likely to be
the entrance to the criminal route.
When you fix the entrance, the route changes.
Therefore, as a result, the pain may change.
This way of organizing things is the safest.
In the next chapter, I will explain
what exactly you should look for in your feet.
And I will properly present "methods for you to check yourself."
From here on, we will suddenly enter practice mode.
Chapter 3: The Reliable Foot Sole Sensor
The feet are a "foundation."
But even more than that, they are asensor.
Is the ground hard?
Is it slippery?
Is it tilted?
That information first enters through the soles of your feet.
And then,
the brain uses that information to determine posture and movement.
In other words, if the information from the soles of your feet is off, the design of your entire body will also be off.
In fact, when the sensation in the soles of your feet weakens, your standing balance becomes more likely to be disrupted.
It has been reported that this effect is more pronounced when conditions become stricter, such as "standing on one leg" or "closing your eyes."
There are also studies showing that stimulating the soles of the feet causes the body to react and change its posture.
What is important here is this:
Even if the body is misaligned, it tries hard not to fall over.
That effort is passed on to the knees, hips, and lower back.
This is what is known as "making ends meet."
Next, let's talk about lower back pain.
Lower back pain is not rare.
In fact, it is at a level that is "too common."
According to a World Health Organization fact sheet, lower back pain affected619 million people in 2020.
Furthermore, lower back pain is categorized as one of the top causes of disability in the world.
In short,
the fact that "many people have lower back pain" is not due to a lack of willpower.
It is a problem that is structurally prone to occurring.
That is precisely why there are cases where "no major abnormalities are found" in examinations.
If you stop at just taking painkillers here, the fundamental "movement route" remains as it is.
As a result, it is easy for the pain to return.
This is a common pattern.
So, is there really any point in touching your feet?
I will tell you this without exaggeration.
For the "pain around the kneecap type" (patellofemoral pain),
there is a summary study stating that shoe inserts (orthotics/insoles) haveimproved movement and ease of daily life.
However, the same study also notes thatthe pain itself does not necessarily decrease.
In other words,
insoles are not a magic wand.
But they can become a "tool to change the movement route."
This level of expectation is realistic.
I will summarize the conclusions so far in everyday language.
Pain is often not a signal to "rest."
Pain is a signal that says, "Stop moving that way soon."
And the soles of your feet hold a massive amount of material (information) that issues those signals.
So, in the next chapter, I will do this.
I'll set aside the technical jargon.
Points you can check yourselfI'll break it down into.
I will properly shape the answer to 'What exactly should I be looking at?'
Chapter 4: Reassuring Sole Self-Care
From here on, let's do it together.
I won't say anything that sounds like an expert.
Just things you can do at home.
This is what's important.
Instead of 'erasing' the pain, change the routethat the pain takes.
The soles of your feet are often the entrance to that route.
So, we will condition the soles of your feet.
Briefly. Every day. Casually.
(If perfectionism kicks in, you've already lost.)
0) First, a promise (1 line)
Stop if the pain gets worse.
This isn't about willpower.
It's just about respecting your body's safety mechanisms.
1) 30-second check: Know your current 'imbalance'
First, you don't need to fix anything.
Just grasp it.
Stand barefoot
Feel where your weight is leaning: big toe side / little toe side / heel
See if it's different between left and right
The point isn't the 'correct position'.
It's whether it's always leaning in the same place.
If it is, that's your 'usual habit'.
2) Toe spreading (30 seconds)
Many people have crushed toes.
Because they are compressed by shoes every day.
The method is simple.
Gently insert your fingers between your toes (if they don't fit, as far as they go is fine)
Slowly spread them from the base of the toes
10 seconds x 3 times, within a range that doesn't hurt
The goal isn't muscle training.
It's to remember the sensation of your toes 'spreading'.
3) Sole rolling (60 seconds)
You can use a tool here if you like.
A tennis ball or a golf ball works.
If you don't have one, your hands are fine.
Roll mainly from the arch of your foot toward the heel
Stop just before it feels "painfully good"
Do not hold your breath
It's not the case that the harder you do it, the more effective it is.
If you do it too hard, some people's muscles will tense up in defense.
The goal is toloosen the stiffness in the soles and restore sensation.
4) Heel weight shift → Big toe base weight shift (30 seconds)
This is a "warm-up" before walking.
Don't change how you walk all of a sudden.
This is important.
Stand and shift a little weight onto your heels (3 seconds)
Next, shift a little weight onto the base of your big toes (3 seconds)
Do this 5 times
Just by doing this,
you will start to understand "where your feet are supporting you."
It is most valuable for those who don't know.
5) Ankle swaying against a wall (60 seconds)
If your ankles are stiff, the parts above will work harder when you walk.
Your knees, hips, and lower back end up acting as "pinch hitters."
How to do it.
Place your hands on a wall
Step one foot forward
Without lifting your heel, bring your knee toward the wall
10 times slowly
Rather than "stretching," the correct approach is tomoveit.
Keep breathing while doing so.
What changes after this?
Let's set realistic expectations.
This self-care routine
does not promise 'zero pain on the spot.'
However, these kinds of changes are likely to occur.
A sense of 'stability' when standing returns slightly
The first step when you start walking may feel lighter
Unnecessary tension in the knees and lower back may decrease
In other words, compensatory movements decrease.
As a result, this may work to reduce pain.
Tips for consistency (this is the most important part)
You don't have to do the full set every day.
In fact, you won't be able to keep it up.
I recommend these two options.
Morning: Just 60 seconds of rolling your feet
Night: Just 30 seconds of spreading your toes
This way, you're less likely to give up.
One question
When does your pain occur,
and with what movement?
If there is an answer, there is reproducibility.
If there is reproducibility, there is a path.
If there is a path, it can be changed.
Next, to make that path more precise,
I'd like to share information about 'shoes' and 'walking style,' but...
Start with your feet first.
This is the entrance.
Conclusion: A quiet redesign
Pain is not your enemy.
It is not proof that your body is broken.
In many cases, it is a notification that says, 'That way of moving is reaching its limit.'
But people only look at the painful area.
Lower back pain means the lower back.
Knee pain means the knee.
That is also natural.
However.
The place that hurts is usually just the place that has been working too hard.
It is not always the root cause.
And the feet are the only point of contact with the ground.
They receive information.
They absorb impact.
They are the starting point for all movement in the body.
So, taking care of your feet may seem like a detour, but it is actually quite a shortcut.
Instead of "silencing pain through endurance,"
you can "quietly change" the route that creates the pain.
The self-care routine introduced today is not flashy.
But the things that aren't flashy are often the strongest.
Because they are the ones that stay in your daily life.
If you are currently getting through every day with painkillers,
try focusing on the soles of your feet just once.
30 seconds is enough.
I cannot guarantee that your pain will disappear completely.
But you can easily gain the feeling of regaining a little control over your body.
Finally, just one thing.
Your pain,
rather than wanting to stop you,
might be trying to protect you.
Redesign from the ground up.
That level of distance is enough.