Back Pain Alters How You Walk
A recent study published in Scientific Reports suggests that people with non-specific chronic low back pain walk differently at a fundamental level — showing disrupted eccentric energy flow at the ankle, hip, and low back joints during gait. The findings point to reduced mechanical efficiency, highlighting the value of targeted, biomechanics-led rehabilitation.
Our take: This article makes an important point: back pain can change the way we walk. In many ways, that is not surprising. If someone is in pain, has sciatica, muscle weakness or loss of strength, their walking pattern will often adapt to protect the painful area.
The more interesting question is the reverse: can the way we walk contribute to back pain?
At the London Podiatry Centre, this is a major focus of our work. Gait is not just about the feet. The way force passes through the foot, ankle, knee, hip and pelvis can influence the lower back.
Research has linked low back pain with altered spinal and lower limb movement during walking, and leg length difference may also affect posture, pelvic position and gait mechanics, although the relationship is complex and not always straightforward.
One common example is leg length difference. This may be due to an actual difference in bone length, or it may be functional, where one foot rolls in more than the other, making one side behave as though it is shorter. Over time, this can create asymmetry through the pelvis and spine.
In our advanced gait facility, we assess these patterns objectively. We look at force symmetry, centre of pressure movement, timing, stability and other key biomechanical markers. This allows us to identify whether a walking pattern is efficient, balanced and supportive — or whether it may be adding stress to the back.
Back pain can also disturb gait. For example, someone with sciatica may lift the heel early, avoid loading one side properly, or roll the foot in excessively as the body tries to compensate. By improving gait efficiency, we may be able to reduce some of these secondary stresses and help patients move with greater confidence.
The key message is simple: walking and back pain influence each other. Back pain can change gait, but poor gait mechanics can also place extra strain on the back. Understanding that relationship is where careful assessment becomes so valuable.
At the London Podiatry Centre, we use advanced gait analysis to investigate these links and to develop treatment plans aimed at improving movement, stability and function. If you have persistent back pain and want to understand whether your walking pattern may be part of the problem, contact us for more information.
About the author
Mr Ron McCulloch — Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Centre Director, and specialist in clinical biomechanics, gait analysis and Morton's neuroma.