Low back pain and its relation to the hip and foot.

Abstract

Case study. To describe a treatment approach for a patient with recurrent low back pain who also had asymmetry in hip rotation between the left and right sides. The patient's chief complaint was dull, intermittent unilateral low back pain during the past 3 years. The patients was a 35-year-old man with recurrent unilateral low back pain. The findings of the physical therapy examination suggested sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Also, evaluation later showed evidence of unilateral excessive foot pronation on the same side of the excessive hip lateral rotation. The finding of excessive hip lateral rotation and excessive foot pronation on the same side of the unilateral low back pain suggested a possible connection between low back symptoms, hip, and lower extremity dysfunction. The treatment of the hip and the subtalar joint of the foot eliminated the reoccurrence of the patients signs and symptoms of sacroiliac joint dysfunction. This case report demonstrates the successful treatment of a patient with low back pain who exhibited multiple impairments in the sacroiliac, hip, and subtalar joints.