One trait many back pain sufferers share is poor walking posture. Proper walking posture means standing up straight with your chin held up parallel to the ground. Don’t arch your back and don’t look down at your feet. Focus your eyes on a point about 6 metres (20 feet) in front of you, suck in your stomach, and tuck in your buttocks.

Strike the ground with your heel first; then roll through the step from heel to toe. Shoes with flexible soles make this easier. If your feet slap down on the ground, the soles of your shoes may not be flexible enough.

Healthy feet provide the foundation for proper walking posture and the way you move. Podiatrists and chiropodists are foot specialists who can help keep your feet in top condition. They can also check your gait cycle (the way you use your feet when you walk) to make sure you aren’t walking in a way that will lead to or worsen back pain.

These specialists can also assess your feet for structural defects and suggest ways of correcting any abnormalities that may exist. Sometimes the solution is as simple as a new pair of shoes that provides proper support. Sometimes inserts called orthotics can be put into shoes to help distribute body weight properly. (Some orthotics can be purchased “off the shelf”; others have to be custom made to conform to an individual’s foot.) In rare cases, surgery can correct many foot problems.