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While some people can attribute their low back pain to a specific event, like a gym workout, many others describe their pain as coming out of nowhere, with no apparent reason. Low back pain can be ‘acute’, meaning that symptoms have only started in the past seven weeks, or it can be ‘chronic’, fluctuating for years.
As heat packs, anti-inflammatory medications and other similar therapies are only temporary symptom relief, if you have low back pain, it is vital that you get the right care that addresses the cause of the problem – and improves your long-term health, pain levels, and quality of life. Here are five causes of low back pain we see that can produce referred pain to the feet and legs.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body, extending from your spinal column down each leg to your feet. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve in the lower back is compressed, inflamed or irritated. It can cause pain, numbness and muscle weakness in your feet or legs.
Pain from sciatica can feel like a dull ache, or like a shooting pain that can spread down your leg to your toes. This pain can last a few hours, or may continue for weeks or months.
Lower back problems can affect other nerves or structures in your back, which can then radiate pain down the leg and to the foot. Some of the common causes of foot and leg pain that start in the lower back are:
Problems with the joints or muscles in your hip and pelvic area can also impact your legs and feet. This can occur from:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is best to consult a podiatrist to uncover the cause of your foot pain and its relation to the back: