How the Way You Walk Affects Your Body

If you’ve ever lived in a home with a shoddy foundation, you’re acutely aware that the problems extend throughout the entire structure. Walls and floors crack. Doors and windows jam. The entire home is at risk. It’s the same way with your feet and legs. The way you stand and walk (your biomechanics) has a profound effect not just on your feet, but your entire body. They are your foundation. If you want to stay in top shape—and get through your day without pain and worry—you’d better take care of them!

Of course, this is an obvious point if you or your child was born with a severe deformity like clubfoot. At Southern California Foot & Ankle Specialists, helping children with genetic foot deformities and gait abnormalities is a core medical specialty and personal mission—suffice to say, this is an area we know well and are passionate about. Twisted feet, rotated leg bones, muscle weaknesses, and other significant foot issues can get in the way of a child’s ability to learn to walk and develop normally.

But it’s also true for adults, including those who “developed normally” and may have never visited a podiatrist before in their lives. If you walk with poor biomechanics—as a result of say, flat feet—it can lead to serious pain and even health issues.

One problem can lead to many

Every bone, every joint, every muscle in your entire body is built on top of your feet. All depend on your feet to be in the right place and do their jobs correctly. If, say, your ankle joint is out of alignment, all the structures of the leg and back must pick up the slack. They’ll be out of alignment, too, in order to compensate for the poor foundation. In other words, pain in your feet isn’t going to stay in your feet for long.

And when you hurt, of course, you spend more time sitting and less time being active. You aren’t able to exercise and do the things your body needs to do in order to maintain physical health. You have to withdraw from activities you enjoy—going for a run, playing sports, going shopping, playing with your kids. This could end up establishing habits that might not be as good for you long-term. All these things take a toll on your physical and mental well-being.

We’re not kidding when we say the way you walk affects your entire body—or really, your entire life. That’s why we work so hard to provide you and your family with the highest quality foot and ankle care. That includes biomechanical and gait evaluations, where we take a close look at how you walk to determine whether you could benefit from custom orthotics or other treatments.

Foot care is health care, and what’s good for your feet helps your entire body flourish. If you’re currently struggling with any foot issues, please give our team a call at (949) 364-9255.