Feet - They put up with A LOT! Foot pain though isn't necessarily to do with your feet. If you haven't dropped something on them or stubbed a toe, if there is no known injury or cause for your foot pain then there is a strong chance that the pain isn't caused by your feet but is being referred from higher up your body. Not only do your feet carry your body weight but any imbalances you're carrying around in your shoulders, hips, spine or knees will impact your ankles, heels or throughout your feet. Today's shiatsu blog: What is causing my mystery foot pain? I will explore causes you may not be aware of and what you can do about it.
What is causing my mystery foot pain?
You may need a little investigation firstly if you have a mystery foot pain that's appeared and just stayed there; not getting any better. What is a serious foot pain that you should seek out medical assistance for? If you have a burning pain, numbness or continual tingling/ stabbling pains this will indicate that a nerve is involved and especically if it covers most or all of the bottom of the foot.
You may need a scan to ensure there is no serious condition causing nerve pain. In a lot of cases this can also be assessed by a knowledgeable physical therapist who works with this type of condition regularly.
There are stabbing pains, dull aches, soreness (like a bruisy feeling) and those situations that suddenly make you go ouch if you set your weight down on your foot at a particular angle. There is also a regularly diagnosed condition Plantar Fasciatis - many come through my door with this condition; but what does it actually mean apart from the bottom of your foot is inflamed? This is a symptom not a cause so it's not a useful diagnosis as there is no treatment on the NHS for it; but there is a lot a shiatsu practitioner can do about it.
Dull aches are a sign of weakness in Chinese medicine and just plain sore (without a known cause) can be something called stagnation which means your foot would like some really sympathetic attention. Your feet are at the end of the line, all of the blood, energetics and good stuff have been utilised further up the body and your foot has been left out in the cold. In fact with these types of conditions your foot feels better for being massaged, warmed up or having a foot soak.
Arthritis in the toes will cause more localised pain especially when you bend the foot but sometimes clients come in saying they've got arthritis and once they leave those pains have gone. Arthritis is an easy go-to again for diagnosis but is it really the cause? If your calf muscles/ achilles tendons or ankles are tight this can trigger these kind of pains in your feet. Just because you've been labelled with something doesn't mean it's actually that, and if it's a symptomatic diagnosis there is still very good chance that when the cause is found the pain can be resolved.
Mystery foot pains can start higher up the body
Your body is a balancing act! Three triangles trying to balance on top of one another to help you remain vertical. Your head balances on your shoulders which balance on your hips. If any one of these 3 are out they will put a stress/ torsion across your body and/or through your legs. Hips are a major one for causing issues in the knees and feet. If someone hobbles in with plantar fasciatis the work starts on their hips and back first.
Pelvic imbalance is a huge issue in British society. Viewing from the car or walking down the street I wince when I see how badly people's hips and pelvis' are working and the knock on effects through to their ankles. Pelvic imbalance can start right from birth. I know this as all my musculoskeletal issues started then.
Only around 5% of people are born with one leg longer than the other (which sets up pelvic imbalance for life), the lucky ones have realised they need to see a therapist regularly to keep them in the best shape possible. The rest of us have a pelvic/hip misalignment that can be resolved; I found this out when I was 21 and went to my first cranial osteopath appointment as I had numbness in my sacrum which was starting to worry me. Numbness is NOT GOOD and should be investigated whereever on the body it arises.
Overuse of your body whether regularly or unique occurence, without supporting yourself nutritionally is also a valid cause of pain. If you feel like you're never quite recovering and always achy or sore then vitamins and minerals like Magnesium may very well help. I ALWAYS put Magnesium flakes in my foot soaks.
How does a shiatsu treatment assess the cause of your mystery foot pain?
When coming in for a shiatsu with a foot pain problem you will be treated as a whole. Plenty of questions are asked to pin point a cause then I'll check your pelvis to look for any obvious imbalance and check how your spine is working. Muscles from the back down are checked as one's that are too tight can cause foot pain, and those muscles are usually compensating for ones that are too weak. Investigating when your pain started, how it started and what was going on in your life when it started are all looked into because they can all bear relevance.
Anything from excess gardening to falling over, or hill walking to grieving can cause foot pain. Foot pain can follow on from a knee or back injury, I've even known it happen to someone who sat on the floor regularly in that awkward sideways kneeling that women tend do to. Don't sit like that it really does mess up your pelvis :(
Your feet are a powerful source of healing to the body as well as the home of the most influential acupoints that are used in acupuncture and shiatsu for alleviating many ailments from lower back ache to hot flushes. Kidney 1 in the sole of your foot is called Bubbling Spring and connects to your energy centre in your lower back; along with other kidney points there are also powerhouse points for liver, spleen and bladder. In shiatsu, a lot of time can be spent correcting your energetic imbalances from your feet and in turn they will feel like they've had attention paid to them and you'll walk out feeling as though your feet are dancing on clouds!
I don't like my feet being touched!
I hear this one a lot! Firstly it's the type of touch and yes you can wear socks - that doesn't impede the treatment at all and can keep your feet nice and warm. Shiatsu pracititioners prefer to shiatsu through socks so don't forget them.
Shiatsu touch is firm but gentle and this type of touch seems to bypass people's concerns for having their feet worked. It really is the best feeling in the world to put your feet down on the floor after they've received some decent massage.
A lot of people are ungrounded and this means they don't have a good relationship with their feet and may not even like to walk around shoeless. You may find that it is painful for you to walk around barefoot and this is something that can be explored to help you overcome.
You're missing out on feeling the sensations of nature with textures underfoot. If you're this way inclined then shiatsu is a great way to not only ground you but to help you create a connection that you have lost. This is as beneficial for your mind as your body!
Grounding your body and connecting your Lifeforce point (kid 1) with nature can calm your nervous system and give you brain clairty.
How can shiatsu resolve mystery foot pain?
Mystery foot pains can have many different causes but the good news is that a really indepth physical assessment can find the cause and then work on resolving it.
Foot pains can be local to the foot or caused by blockages, imbalances or traumas further up the body and this is why a holistic assessment has a good chance of finding the cause; rather than treating only the symptom which may lead to long term discomfort or medication.
I love how shiatsu can help you as we are taught the investigative skills that are needed to work out why such a pain is manifesting. We don't rule out an emotional cause because we understand that the mind, emotions and physical issues in your body are all intrinsically linked.
Foot pain that lingers is tiring as when the body is imbalanced, energy doesn't flow. You feel more tired because your body is trying to heal something and is unable to do so, it tries to compensate. This compensation can have a knock on effect to your whole muscular structure and you may find your shoulders or back ache more, that you're getting an increasing amount of headaches and you'll not realise that all of these symptoms are linked to an underlying cause that is manifesting as your mystery foot pain.
Don't put up with mystery pain in your foot or any part of your body it is there for a reason and the sooner you get it investigated the sooner you can take active steps to resolve it. Even if you're going down the path of talking to your Dr and getting tests you can still have it assessed and treated by seeking out shiatsu.
About Andrea at Shiatsu Bodyworks Cheltenham
Andrea is a qualified zen shiatsu and Chinese medicine practitioner with over 20 years immersed in holistic therapies and the energetics of mind and body. Based in Cheltenham, UK she offers in house clinic and online shiatsu sessions to help people with midlife health issues and also offers online consultations for helping you resolve health issues and regain your vitality.
She is also a menopause specialist too, find out more at cotswoldmenopause.co.uk
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