HealthFirst-Shoes and back pain

UNDATED (WJRT) -- (12/11/07)-- If you are having back pain, believe it or not -- your feet may be to blame.

HealthFirst reporter Leslie LoBue says relief may be just a shoebox away.

From high heels, to as low as they go, women have had a long love affair with shoes. But fashion and function don't always mesh.

On this high-tech runway, podiatrists get to the bottom of a patient's pain. Force plates imbedded in the floor measure pressure points in the foot.

One other common problem,  heel pain, is often caused by walking in completely flat shoes.

"Every shoe I buy has a little heel. I don't wear anything flat," said Rita Schlessinger.

For some patients, a new style may be just what the doctor ordered.  Podiatrist Kathya Zinzer says they have to fit the person who's going to wear them.

"Every person is an individual, and every footprint and foot type is like your own basic fingerprint. So every shoe type is going to be different for different patients."

With this motion detection system, cameras on the outside of the runway send out infrared light. They reflect movement of sensors placed on patients' ankles, toes and legs. That provides a 3-D image of the patient in mid-stride.

"A lot of patients who come in to see us, come in and are having a lot of lower back pain or knee pain, and it really starts from the foot," said Zinzer.

Doctors say any heel over two inches changes the body's center of gravity. Over time, some patients may begin to feel the effects, but that doesn't mean high heels have to take a hike.

By occasionally switching styles, you've got a better chance of staying pain and injury free.

The Gait Study Center at Temple University is considered one of the most advanced labs of its kind in the world.

Their technology can also be used to help you find the right running shoe.

Get more HealthFirst »

healthfirst, leslie lobue

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•