R.A. Lawhern
With a history of injury to your foot, it is possible that your posture has contributed to a deteriorating disk in the lumbar region. While there are no preparations of "alternative" medicine that are worthy of your trust in this area, two treatments have gained acceptance with the mainstream medical community. Glucosamine/Chondroitin as a food supplement has shown promise in a wide variety of joint and arthritic problems. Physical therapy and chiropractic adjustment are widely used for lower back pain and have helped millions. Most orthopedists will also prescribe a series of floor exercises done every morning, that will help strengthen the muscles in your lower back and abdomen, to relieve mechanical stress on your spine that causes muscle spasms and pain. Alternately, for chronic or severe pain, an orthopedist can administer a shot of cortisone directly into your lumbar region. Whatever you do, you should FIRST have a thorough evaluation by a licensed medical doctor (most likely, an orthopod), before seeing a chiropractor or anyone else. Strenuous application of twisting stress in your lower back by an incautious or poorly trained practitioner can cause you even more pain or impair nerve function in your legs.