Does anyone know if there is a connection between using a cane long term and your food turning outward because of it? (I thought someone once mentioned it on the boards but I cant find it). If there is a connection, what is the cause of the foot turning and is that possibly making my back/hips ache even more? I try to consciously turn it forward but the turn seems to be more pronounced all the time. (I use the cane in my left hand and my left foot faces foward...the right foot is at a 45 degree angle outward).

Thanks for any input.

Lorie :angel:

Hello Lorie,
I did mention in my post that my left foot is turning outwards. The foot dr said it was because Im using a cane. And the dr said that my leg and foot is compinsating the pain in my back thats why it is turning out.
Now my knee is going out so bad Im going to the dr tomorrow it feels like my knee is turning and it hurts so bad. I was standing in the kitchen and my back just went then my knee started burning and now its 200 am and every time I try to lay down my back hurts and my knee hurts.
Ive been using a cane since jan of 2003
hopes this helps and if you find out anything more about it let me know. I also posted on the arthritis board. Found out I have Osteoporosis Arthritis in the back because of my injury.
Kathy

Thanks Kathy, perhaps I should look at the Arthritis board as well. I was just Dx with Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. It gets complicated trying to figure out if the pain is from the failed fusion,herniations, pinched nerves, OA, fibro. or something not yet diagnosed :confused:

Thanks again for the reply, I will let you know if I learn anything else about the foot problem.

Lorie :angel:

I hadn't really thought about the reason before, but my mom's foot also turns outward where it didn't many years ago, before she used a cane.

i am 5o using a cane for unsteady walking due to arthritis and my right foot bears out wards too,i try to walk straight infront but it just points outwards weird isnt it,i try not to use it if i can i think its making things worse.

I have actually found out why my foot turns outward. I have back problems, and when you walk with you feet straightforward, the muscles that you use to lift your foot, pull on your spine. For an average health person, they have stonge enough core muscles that by walking and lifting their feet, it does not hurt the back. For those of us with weak core muscles, every step pulls on the spine. However, if your foot is outward, when you take a step, you use a different set of muscles and they are not attatched to the spine, so there is no pain when you lift your foot...if it is faced outward. My P/T therapist told me that and explained that when a person has low. back problems and weak core muscles, often their feet will slowly start to face outward, w/o the person realizing it...it is just to keep from feeling the pain that walking causes them.

Hmm, there seems to be a trend here. I was using the cane off and on before surgery and after it the PT noticed that my foot was turned out but he assumed it happened in surgery. He said I'd have to have PT for this or Id have to have hip surgery because my him was rotating. I've tried to walk with my leg straight my my knees keep banging into eachother! I never thought the cane could be the culprit, I'll have to bring this up with my surgeon next week!

My surgeon said he did not think it was the cane, so that was why I talked to my PT. She drew me a diagram and explained it to me. I will type, exactly what she wrote for me and you can take that to your Dr. to see what he might have to say.

The Psoas muscle goes from your spine to your leg and pulls when there is action, such as lifting of the thigh (walking) or bending your torso forward. If when you try to lift your leg (ex. walking) and it hurts your back, you will automatically rotate your leg outward, to use the muscles that do not attach to the spine, when you lift your leg.

To work on bringing your leg forward, you need to take time to walk, and intentionally face the foot forward. While walking, contract you core (stomache) muscles while walking. While your core is contracted (bellybutton towards spine), when you lift your leg and your foot is forward, the muscle will not pull on your spine and it won't hurt. My PT said to start by just walking as far as you can with your foot forward and then stop. Ea. day walk a little more. It can be done during regular walking (while in a store etc.) as long as you are mindful of the position of your foot and of your core muscles.

See what you Dr. or PT has to say. It seemed to be the right answer for me.

Lorie

I was explained that cane has nothing to do with it. When lumbar area of our back is not well (especialy after fusions) knees, hips, feet are suffering and everything changes: they way we walk, the way we seat, etc. When we walk we try to find the way when it hurts less and we turn our body accoringly (sp?). This affects knees, legs and of course feet.
That is exactly happen to me and I know now that when my back gets worse, the knees, hips and feet get worse pain wise and the way i walk.:confused:

I was explained that cane has nothing to do with it. When lumbar area of our back is not well (especialy after fusions) knees, hips, feet are suffering and everything changes: they way we walk, the way we seat, etc. When we walk we try to find the way when it hurts less and we turn our body accoringly (sp?). This affects knees, legs and of course feet.
That is exactly happen to me and I know now that when my back gets worse, the knees, hips and feet get worse pain wise and the way i walk.:confused:

ARGH, I'M SO CONFUSED! I am going to ask my doctor and see what she says. This is all very interesting!:confused:

Moldova...that is pretty much what my P/T said. Your body will adjust itself, when there is pain, so that it does not have to feel the pain. By turning the foot outward, you use different muscles, thus less pain.

lilredsmom...ask your Dr. for info. about how the Psoas muscle is used when you walk or take a step. See if he explains it the same as mine did. You are right, it is interesting. The fact that so many of us, use a cane, it may not be the cane affecting our feet...but the compensating for the pain due to the spine/back problems, causing the outward foot (we all use a cane because of the spine problems). Nonetheless, it is interesting.

Lorie