Whether you are suffering from Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, sciatic, a hamstring or gait faulty firing pattern such as Trendelenburg you need to address the body holistically. This means a top down approach, rather than bottom up. So in line with Paul Chek’s totem pole, you look at everything from belief systems, to breathing, vestibular, jaw, cervical neck, organs the the salve joints which are the spine and limbs come last.

Why is this?

Well there are many reasons that you are experiencing lower limb problems and injuries, but let’s focus on the colon connection to the lower limb. A gastrointestinal issue contributes to incorrect stabilization of the trunk, therefore a compensation pattern can occur in the lower limb causing injury. The colon is not to blame alone, remember the body works as one, so faulty and reverse breathing patterns must be assessed too.

The connection between the colon and bowed legs is primarily due to referred pain and nerve irritation. Bowel problems can cause discomfort in the legs through these mechanisms, which are not direct injuries, but rather symptoms of underlying digestive issues.  Malabsorption of vital vitamins and minerals will of course affect our bones and joints. Here are the key points:

  • Referred Pain: Internal organ pain, such as bowel inflammation, can be perceived as coming from the legs due to shared nerve pathways. 

  • Nerve Irritation: Inflammation or distension of the bowel can directly influence nearby neural pathways, leading to pain in the legs. 

  • Systemic Inflammation: Chronic bowel conditions can cause widespread inflammation, affecting muscles, ligaments, and nerves, which can lead to leg pain.

If you cannot stabilize the machine, the more unstable the environment. The better your static and dynamic posture, the better your performance. A relative decrease in the unstable environment pulls the rabbit out of the hat. Moshe Feldenkrais stated that the worse your posture and the greater your spinal curves, the more energy it will take. Poor posture and deviations from a neutral spine, meaning each curve should be 30-35 degrees results in more strain. When you improve your posture and alignment it will effect not only the way you move, but your breathing and organ function to name just a few.

Most problems and injuries occur over time, not all at once. If you want to reduce injury risk, once you have addressed your gut, start with your primal movement patterns:
  1. Squat
  2. Lunge
  3. Bend
  4. Pull
  5. Push
  6. Gait

You should always improve from your last session, otherwise you are regressing. You should learn the movement first, then add load slowly. Clean form, steady progress, and rest do more to cut injury risk than jumping to heavier weight too soon.

  • Squat builds leg strength and helps with knee control

  • Lunge and split stance train balance, single-leg strength, and joint control

  • Hip hinge helps take stress off my low back when I lift

  • Push-pull work helps keep my shoulders stronger and more balanced

  • Core and carries help me keep my spine steady under load

‘Every organ, gland and cell in the body is effected by the condition of the colon’ – Norman W Walker

Bibliography

The Chek approach to lower limb – Paul Chek
‘Eat, move and be healthy’ – Paul Chek

Can Bowel Problems Cause Leg Pain? – Biology Insights