Last week we said that back pain, spinal malfunctions and their origin are poorly understood by most of us.
This week we will look at our jaw and feet as unlikely sources of back pain.
The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
This is the most used joint in the body. We use it while talking, chewing, swallowing and yawning—even snoring.
This joint can be the principal cause of tension down one side of our body and can cause one leg to be shorter than the other, sacroiliac slip, tension headaches, burning cheek pain, neck and back pain unyielding to treatment, dizziness and tinnitus.
There is a close functional relationship between the head, neck, shoulder, pelvic girdle and jaw movement—a short leg could cause a sore jaw or the other way around!
In the healthy stance, the teeth close symmetrically, with head weight transferred through the teeth to the lower jaw and with the facial muscles relaxed.
During motion, the locked jaw first unhinges, and then is drawn forward to allow the mouth to open. The lock/hinge mechanism is crucial to normal jaw function and to its harmonious relationship with the head and neck.
From a variety of causes, one side of the jaw fails to engage the hinge/lock and is then held by muscular spasm. This tension is transmitted to the neck and then spreads down the spinal attachments. TMJ syndrome ranges from minor to severe, depending on the type of trigger involved. In some cases, an orthodontist may be needed for a treatment program. In others, dental treatment may have caused the problem.
Conversely, the TMJ, when relaxed, may be the key to total body relaxation.
Fallen Arches
The foot is a superb piece of bioengineering, consisting of 26 bones, each shaped differently, and arranged to form two arches. These arches enable the foot to provide an ideal distribution of body weight—yielding and springing back as weight shifts with all bodily movement and absorbing shock with each new contact with hard ground.
The integrity of all the other musculoskeletal structures of the body depends on the feet performing these tasks.
The bones composing the arches are held in position by ligaments and tendons, with the cuboid bone acting as a keystone. A decreased or fallen arch results from a weakening and stretching of the ligaments and tendons. The tendons are extensions from the muscles of the lower leg, attached to the bones of the foot, at the other end.
A diminished or fallen metatarsal arch interferes with the proper function of the foot, causing stress on the knee, hip, sacroiliac joint and/or the lower lumbar vertebra from the strain imposed by the shift in weight distribution. Under these conditions, unless we correct the problem with the foot, all other treatments will be only temporary.
Treatment
The bones need to be restored to their normal position. The cuboid bone is most commonly slightly displaced.
The muscles of the lower leg and the short muscles of the foot need re-toning.
In addition, arch supports may be necessary to reduce strain on the ligaments.
The body is very clever at compensating for back pain, but in a way that may not be beneficial in the long term.
Feeds