Do You Have Duck Feet?
By Sara Butler
Many people don’t realize the ways in which their feet impact the rest of their body. Any variation in the movement of your feet can have an impact on everything above them. That’s why sometimes your chiropractor traces back the pain you’re experiencing in your hips or back to your feet! If you have duck feet, or feet that are turned out, here is how they may be impacting your body and why it’s so important to discuss it with your chiropractor.
The Normal Alignment of Your Feet
When your feet are in their normal alignment, they should be pointing straight ahead and parallel with one another. This might not seem like a big deal but if you think about your feet as the foundation for the rest of your body, you can understand how a problem in the foundation can result in problems with the stabilization of the rest of the structure.
When your feet are positioned outside of a normal alignment it will slowly wear your joints away, impairing your ability to do everyday tasks as well as increase the likelihood you will injure yourself.
The Impact on Your Body
If your body is like a house of cards, then feet that are not in normal alignment are like a bent card in the foundation. They can cause instability in other areas and eventually be the downfall of the whole house! Here is how turned-out feet can impact your body:
- Shock absorption – Your foot is made to absorb shock as you walk, run or jump. If the foot is out of natural alignment, the ligaments may become lengthened or shortened and make the foot unable to perform as it should.
- Ankle stability – The loosened ligaments on the outside of the ankle, when the feet face outward, diminish the support the ankle. This makes it more likely you will injure your ankle.
- Knee stability – There’s a ligament that attaches to a bone in your ankle that helps stabilize the outside of your knee. When that ligament is stretched out from improper foot position, then you lose stability in your outer knee, too.
- Glute issues – The muscles that comprise your buttocks are also impacted by duck feet. It reduces your ability to engage your glutes for stability, which puts more pressure on your lower back.
Whenever something is out of alignment in your body it can have a huge impact on everything. If you have issues with the alignment of your feet you should discuss it with your chiropractor. They can offer you some solutions to help get your feet back in alignment and increase the overall health of your body.