The Hidden Link Between Ankle Stability and Lower Back Pain

When you think about lower back pain, your ankles probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. But here’s the surprising truth - the way your ankles move (or don’t move!) can have a big impact on how your back feels.

At LMH Optimal Therapy, we often see how issues lower down the body like weak or unstable ankles can create a chain reaction that affects everything above, including your knees, hips, and spine.

How Your Ankles Affect Your Whole Body

Your ankles are your body’s foundation. They absorb shock, adapt to uneven surfaces, and help keep your balance with every step. When they’re strong and stable, the rest of your body can move smoothly and efficiently.

But when your ankles lack mobility or stability (due to an old sprain, flat feet, or tight calf muscles for example) your body starts to compensate. This compensation often travels up the kinetic chain:

• Ankles become stiff or weak

• Knees and hips adjust to keep you upright

• The pelvis tilts or rotates

• The lower back muscles tighten to stabilise your posture

Over time, these small imbalances can lead to chronic tension, pain, or even injury.

The Connection to Lower Back Pain

When your ankles aren’t supporting you properly, your body loses its natural alignment. This can cause extra strain through your hips and lumbar spine, especially during walking, running, or standing for long periods.

For example:

• Limited ankle mobility can shorten your stride, changing the way your pelvis moves.

• Overpronation (rolling in of the ankles) can cause your knees and hips to rotate inwards, placing uneven stress on your lower back.

• Old ankle injuries can affect your balance, forcing your core and spinal muscles to work overtime just to keep you steady.

All of this adds up, and your back often takes the brunt of it.

How Chiropractic and Massage Can Help

At LMH Optimal Therapy, we don’t just look at where the pain is - we look at why it’s happening in the first place.

Our team assesses how your ankles, knees, hips, and spine work together. By improving joint mobility, correcting misalignments, and strengthening the supporting muscles, we can help restore balance throughout your whole body.

Sports massage and tailored mobility work can also make a huge difference - releasing tight calves, improving circulation, and retraining stability in the ankles to reduce stress further up the chain.

Your body works as one connected system, and even something as small as ankle stiffness can ripple upwards to affect your posture, balance, and back health.

If you’re struggling with lower back discomfort that keeps coming back, it might be time to look down.

Book a session at LMH Optimal Therapy to discover how improving ankle stability can help you move with less pain and more confidence from the ground up.

📍 Based in Poole on the Nuffield Estate

📞 lmhoptimaltherapy.co.uk | 07861160799 | contact@lmhoptimaltherapy.co.uk