“What does the ankle have to do with the lower back?”
Many people think this, but as a chiropractor for 15 years, I've found that about 90% of people with lower back pain have an imbalance in their ankles.
And almost without exception, the ankle on the side where the back hurts is stiff.
Today, I'll explain why.
■ First, please check this
Can you squat deeply with your feet shoulder-width apart and your heels on the floor?
If you can't, or if your heels lift:
This is one of the reasons your lower back keeps screaming in pain.
Most people say, “But I didn't realize my ankles were stiff.”
That's natural; ankle stiffness manifests as back pain, so you don't notice the ankle itself.
■ Why a stiff ankle destroys your back
The ankle has a movement called “dorsiflexion.” This is the action of bending your foot toward your shin.
If this range of motion is narrow, when you squat, go down stairs, stand up from a chair, or pick up something from the floor, the joints above have to compensate for what the ankle lacks.
Stiff ankle → Knee goes inward → Hip rotates internally → Pelvis tilts forward (increased arch in the back) → Repeated strain on the lumbar vertebrae.
This chain reaction accumulates dozens of times every day.
You treat your back because it hurts. But you leave your ankles alone.
That's why there are so many cases where it just doesn't get better.
■ You can check it yourself
Stand in front of a wall (about 10cm away) and slowly lean your knee toward the wall without lifting your heel.
Knee touches the wall → No problem
Knee doesn't touch the wall → Insufficient dorsiflexion
If you check both sides, there's almost always a stiff side. It's often the same side as your back pain.
■ How to loosen your ankles
Stand 10cm from the wall and slowly lean your knee toward the wall while keeping your heel firmly on the floor.
Hold it just before it reaches the point where it would lift, for 20 seconds on each side. Do the stiff side more.
Once you get used to it, gradually increase the distance from the wall. If your knee can eventually reach the wall from 15–20cm away, the compensation in daily movements will decrease significantly.
“Don't lift your heel”—if you follow this one rule, you're doing it right.
If you continue this every day, you'll notice changes: your back won't hurt when you squat, going down stairs becomes easier, and your back won't feel as tight even after standing for a long time.
It took me years after retiring due to a hernia to start caring for my ankles. I was only looking at my back and not at my feet.
The cause of back pain isn't always in the back. When you fix your foundation, the burden on your back decreases.
If numbness or strong pain remains even after adjusting your ankles, there may be an impact on the nerves.
Also, for those diagnosed with sciatica or a lumbar hernia, the order of self-care is important. I've summarized the process in a note article below:
[[Chiropractor's Guide] The “5-minute a day self-maintenance method” to escape sciatica and lumbar hernia pain as quickly as possible](https://note.com/seitai_tennis4/n/nf91efa6df19c?app_launch=false
