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So, this afternoon I am just having a quick chat about the foot and headache connection. Foot health may reduce headaches. I’d like to start with understanding a little bit about how the feet work and what they do. So obviously our feet are involved in our walking.

The function of feet

One of their major functions is to make sure that they act as a shock absorber. And in that process of acting as a shock absorber, they also allow the energy that movement creates to be propelled up through the body to support active movement, with as little energy from us as possible. So when our feet function correctly, they do this sort of a movement as we walk. This is a kind of supination and this is a sort of pronation, the flat foot and the high arch.

And when they do that, hopefully you can see that that would allow the pressure of moving to dissipate through the feet and not go up the foot. So when our feet are functioning properly, that pressure moves comfortably. But when our arch isn’t moving very well, then with every step it just goes nice and hard. Which means the pressure doesn’t dissipate through the foot, and instead moves up our body chain to wherever our weakest point is, and causes extra pressure in that spot. And over time, will create muscle tension and pain.

So if our legs are different lengths; if our spine has a twist in it; or if our feet don’t pronate or supinate the same amount.  If you’ve got one going like this, which causes a twist in your body, then that will cause a twist all the way up through your pelvis and then further up. I’m just going to give you a look at my feet. So here we’ve got my feet. When we pronate, you can see how you get a bend in the knees, when I pronate. It’s hard to see, without hyper-accentuating. It causes my bottom to stick out and my body to go forwards, it also causes my knee to extend further.

When our pelvis twists, that then creates another twist and then another, etc… Probably another twist in the middle and one at the top. So when it’s uneven, you end up with extra pressure in one side of the top of your neck.

Twisting leads to nerve irritation, which leads to headaches

The aim of that twist is to keep our eyes balanced and equal parallel to the floor, so that we have good distance vision and perception of depth.

However, when we twist, we get extra use of muscles and extra energy used. We get tight muscles, tight ligaments, restriction in our joints, which causes trigger points. They all can cause nerve irritation. And then the nerve irritation, the trigger points, and the tight muscles and ligaments themselves can all refer pain up into the head, causing our headaches. That’s all on top of if you’re standing incorrectly.

It also affects the way you breathe, which can worsen our stress levels. When our stress levels are higher, we’re also more likely to get a headache. I’m hoping that gives a little bit of clarity about how our feet function or lack of, will affect the muscles, joints, ligaments and nerves all the way through our body and actually create a headache.

Supporting your feet

So what that all means is that we can work with the feet to improve the joint function ability, so that they start to move more effectively. and so there’s no pressure in one specific spot that shouldn’t be there. We can also support them by using a specific inner sole that still allows the feet to move. And these inner soles also activate the cerebellum, which is in the bottom of our brain. And that is our natural posture and walking pattern organiser. So when we activate the brain, the brain becomes more aware of our feet. And our function becomes much more subconscious and much more effective, using less muscles and energy, while creating less tension and less likelihood of headaches.

I hope that made sense and that it was useful for you?

If you have any questions, please pop them in the comments, and I will definitely get back to them. And I look forward to seeing you next time. Thanks for joining.

Final Thoughts:

Our feet are often taken for granted. When was the last time you focused on having healthy feet? Foot function may be complex, but most of us understand that our feet support us.

The connection to headaches is rarely thought of, and yet, in some cases, treating the feet can be the key to improving the way your body works, and reducing and sometimes even removing your headaches.

Now that you are aware of the foot headache connection, take action and support your feet… You won’t regret it.

Are your feet affecting your headaches?

If this has helped you realise that your feet may be part of your issue, and you would like help with them, or if you have headaches that you want out of your life. Book a consultation today, we can provide a full assessment, treatment plan, and help you enjoy your life, pain-free.

Author: Alexis Weidland

About Blossoming Me

BlossomingMe offers a fully integrated approach to your wellbeing. Located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Sarah is our Craniosacral and Remedial Massage Therapist and health and lifestyle coach. She can help relieve those problematic knots, tightness and other specific ailments to promote a healthy recovery. These complementary massage therapies can be combined to suit your needs, and include: craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure, reiki, remedial, swedish, and body-mind-massage. 

Our qualified Osteopath, Alexis, offers a drug free, minimally invasive, “hands on” treatment focusing on the musculoskeletal system with its associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, membranes, bones and joints. Alexis takes a functional approach. This means that she focuses on the way a component (body part, tissue or group of tissues) performs its role, as well as the way the body works, performs and integrates as a whole. Our team can support you to improve your posture and therefore your overall health.

**Disclaimer** The information provided by BlossomingMe, on our website, in our courses, and in our blogs and posts, is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site and social outlets is not, nor intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health professional before you make any changes to your health regime, before dealing with new symptoms, and if something you have read here has raised any questions or concerns regarding your situation.