Strong Foundation, Strong Body, and Why Your Feet Hold the Key to Pain-Free Movement
- Brainz Magazine
- 5 days ago
- 10 min read
Suzette Obiana-Martina, a seasoned Cesar Exercise Therapist, combines over 15 years of expertise with a unique, supportive approach to empower people in managing and preventing physical complaints. Her passion is teaching self-reliance through precise, therapeutic movement for lasting wellness.
Just like a house needs a solid foundation to stand tall, your body depends on its base: your feet.Yet, we often ignore them, covering them up, stuffing them into tight shoes, and expecting them to carry us through life without complaint.
But the truth is:
Weak arches, collapsed posture, stiff ankles, or underactive toes can trigger a cascade of problems, from knee and hip pain to poor balance and even chronic tension in the neck and shoulders.
When your foundation isn’t aligned and strong, your entire body has to compensate. Over time, those compensations turn into pain, fatigue, and dysfunction.
In this article, we’ll explore why your feet matter more than you think and how caring for them can improve your posture, strength, energy, and body awareness from the ground up.
The foundation effect: Why it all starts with your feet
The body is a chain of interconnected systems. Each joint, muscle, and bone affects the one above and below it, and the chain begins at the base: your feet.
Imagine building a house on uneven ground. Even the strongest walls and roof won’t stand properly if the base is tilted, cracked, or unstable. The same applies to your body. When your feet are weak, imbalanced, or misaligned, your body adjusts in subtle and often harmful ways to stay upright and keep moving.
These small adjustments may include:
Tension in the calves or thighs to stabilize your steps
Rotated hips or uneven weight distribution
Rounded shoulders and forward head posture as your center shifts
Extra strain in your lower back or neck over time
What makes this so tricky is that most people don’t feel the imbalance in their feet; they feel it elsewhere:
Pain in the knees after walking
Tension in the hips after standing too long
Neck or shoulder discomfort after a long day on your feet
That’s why the feet are often called the “forgotten foundation,” because we treat the symptoms higher up without realizing the root is much lower.
As a movement therapist, I’ve seen clients struggle with back pain, poor posture, or balance issues for years until we finally looked at the feet. And when we did, everything changed.
Common foot problems that sabotage your body
Most people don’t think much about their feet until they hurt. But the truth is, foot problems often begin silently. You may not notice the weakness, stiffness, or misalignment in your feet, but your body does, and it responds.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common foot issues I see in my practice and how they interfere with movement, posture, and energy:
Collapsed arches/ flat feet
When the arch of the foot drops, the structure of the entire lower body changes. This can lead to:
Knees rolling inward
Overloaded hips and glutes
Instability in standing or walking
Excessive fatigue when upright for long periods
Often, people with flat feet feel tired in their legs or lower back without realizing the cause is a lack of foot support and spring.
Overpronation or supination
These terms describe how your foot rolls when you walk:
Overpronation = rolling inward too much
Supination = rolling outward too much
Both patterns can throw off your natural alignment and lead to:
Knee pain or IT band tension
Hip asymmetry
Ankle instability or frequent sprains
Uneven wear on shoes
Stiff ankles and limited toe mobility
Healthy movement starts with joint mobility, and if the ankles and toes don’t move well, the rest of your body compensates.
Common signs include:
Shortened stride when walking
Forward-leaning posture
Poor balance
Tension in calves and lower back
Many people unknowingly grip with their toes while standing, a sign of weakness and tension that affects the entire body.
Foot weakness from too much support
Ironically, one of the biggest causes of weak feet is too much support.
Cushioned shoes, stiff soles, and orthotics (when overused) can reduce natural foot engagement.
Consequences may include:
Loss of foot awareness and strength
Poor proprioception and balance
Reduced shock absorption
Slower walking and less spring in your step
Feet are designed to move, bend, adapt, and feel the ground.
When they’re overprotected or undertrained, they lose that natural intelligence, and your posture suffers. Recognizing these patterns is the first step.
The ripple effect: How foot dysfunction leads to pain elsewhere
Your body is an integrated system, not a collection of isolated parts. So when something is off at the base, your entire structure has to adapt.
Foot dysfunction rarely stays in the feet. Instead, it creates a ripple effect that travels upward through your joints, muscles, and posture, often showing up as pain or tension in areas you’d never think to connect to your feet.
Here’s how that chain reaction unfolds:
Knee pain
When your feet collapse inward (overpronation), your knees follow.
This misalignment puts uneven pressure on the joints and increases strain on the ligaments and muscles surrounding them.
Result:
Inner knee pain
Patellofemoral syndrome
IT band irritation
Fatigue after walking or squatting
Hip problems
Foot instability often leads to uneven weight distribution, causing one hip to work harder than the other. This imbalance can rotate the pelvis, tighten one side, and overload the lower back.
Result:
Hip stiffness or pinching
Sciatica-like sensations
Lower back discomfort during standing or walking
Back pain
When the foundation is unstable, your spine pays the price. To stay upright, your body compensates by tightening the lower back muscles or shifting your center of gravity.
Result:
Chronic lumbar tension
Muscle fatigue in the lower back
Difficulty sitting or standing for long periods
Poor balance & instability
Weak or misaligned feet send less accurate information to your brain about where your body is in space. This affects your proprioception, your ability to sense and control movement.
Result:
Wobbliness when walking
Fear of falling
Difficulty with single-leg balance or quick turns
Shoulder and neck compensation
Surprisingly, even the upper body can be affected by foot dysfunction.
When the lower body isn’t stable, the upper body works harder to create control, often by tensing the shoulders or leaning the head forward.
Result:
Neck strain
Forward head posture
Shoulder tightness or imbalance
It’s no coincidence that people who “carry stress in their shoulders” often have underlying issues in their feet and base. The body is always trying to protect and stabilize itself, even if it means overworking certain areas.
The good news? Once you bring awareness back to your feet and start restoring their function, the entire system above can relax, realign, and move with more ease.
In the next section, I’ll show you how to start doing exactly that.
Building strong feet: how to reclaim your foundation
You don’t need fancy tools or expensive shoes to start building a strong, stable foundation. What you do need is awareness, consistency, and a willingness to reconnect with your feet in ways that may feel unfamiliar at first but are incredibly powerful over time.
Here are simple but transformative steps to help you rebuild your body from the ground up:
Start feeling your feet again
Most people walk through life disconnected from their feet.
Start with sensory awareness:
Walk barefoot on different textures: grass, sand, wood, stone.
Roll the soles of your feet on a ball to stimulate nerve endings.
Practice standing still with your eyes closed to improve balance and foot perception.
The more sensory feedback you give your feet, the more your brain re-engages with them.
Strengthen key muscles
To support your posture and movement, your feet need strength, not just support.
Try these simple exercises:
Toe lifts and spreads: Lift all toes, then press the big toe down while keeping the others lifted. Alternate.
Towel scrunches: Use your toes to pull a towel toward you on the floor.
Heel raises: Slowly lift and lower your heels, engaging the arches and calves.
Short foot exercise: Gently draw the ball of the foot toward the heel without curling the toes; this activates the arch.
Just 5 to 10 minutes a day can wake up dormant muscles and build long-term stability.
Mobilize ankles and toes
Joint mobility is essential for efficient movement and balance.
Incorporate:
Ankle circles (both directions)
Toe articulations: move each toe individually, if possible
Calf and Achilles stretches to free up ankle range
Better mobility means better shock absorption and energy transfer when walking.
Reevaluate your footwear
Shoes can either support your healing or block it.
Ask yourself:
Are my shoes too tight or overly cushioned?
Do they allow my toes to spread naturally?
Do I always wear shoes, even indoors?
Tips:
Opt for shoes with a wide toe box and flexible sole when possible
Spend some time barefoot each day (safely and mindfully)
Consider gradually transitioning toward more minimal or foot-friendly footwear if your body allows
Let your feet do the work. Shoes should protect, not control.
Reconnect with proprioception
Your feet are loaded with sensors that help you feel your body in space. When these are stimulated, your posture improves automatically.
Practice:
Balancing barefoot on one leg
Walking slowly and consciously, heel to toe
Foot-ground awareness in yoga, strength training, or outdoor walks
This brings your body and mind back into sync from the base upward.
It’s not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about doing something consistently and trusting that your body will respond when given the chance.
When to seek professional guidance
You can do a lot on your own, but sometimes your body needs more than good intentions and YouTube exercises. Sometimes, it needs expert eyes, tailored insight, and a structured plan to realign and reset from the ground up.
So how do you know when it’s time to seek professional help?
Here are a few clear signs:
Pain that keeps returning
You stretch, you walk, you rest, and the pain still comes back.
Especially in the:
Knees
Hips
Lower back
Ankles or feet
These are classic referral zones for foot dysfunction and may indicate deeper imbalances that need to be assessed from the ground up.
Recurring balance or stability issues
Do you feel unsteady on uneven ground? Do you struggle with one-leg balance or feel wobbly when turning quickly?
These signs often point to weak proprioception or foot muscle fatigue, both of which can be improved with targeted movement therapy.
You’re unsure about your foot type or alignment
Most people don’t really know:
If they have flat feet or high arches
Whether they overpronate or supinate
How their foot mechanics affect their whole posture
A professional assessment can map out your foot function, walking pattern, joint mobility, and muscular activation, giving you clear direction and personalized advice.
You’re using orthotics or arch supports, but still have discomfort
Orthotics can help, but they’re not a lifelong solution.
If you’re still having pain despite wearing supports, it may be time to:
Reassess whether they’re right for you
Combine them with strength and awareness training
Learn to transition back to natural foot function (if appropriate)
Support should be adaptive, not permanent, and never a replacement for movement.
You’re ready to stop compensating and start rebuilding
Maybe you’re not in pain. Maybe you’re just tired of feeling disconnected from your body.
You sense there’s more possible, more ease, more strength, more confidence.
But you don’t know where to begin.
That’s where a guide comes in.
As a Posture & Movement Therapist, I specialize in helping you decode your body’s signals and reconnect with its natural intelligence, starting with the feet.
Together, we can explore:
Your current movement patterns
Foot function and alignment
Practical steps to improve posture, strength, and awareness for real, lasting change
Ready to rebuild from the ground up?
Your feet are not just the bottom of your body; they are the beginning of everything.
When you learn to support, strengthen, and reconnect with them, you unlock a new relationship with your posture, your movement, and your presence.
So ask yourself:
Are you tired of treating symptoms without seeing real change?
Do you sense that something is “off” in your balance, your energy, or your alignment?
Are you ready to stop compensating and start building from a stronger foundation?
Then let’s begin.
As a Posture and Movement Therapist, I help you uncover the subtle patterns that create pain and disconnection and guide you step by step toward strength, freedom, and trust in your body again.
You don’t need to figure this out alone.
You just need the right starting point and a guide who sees what others often overlook.
Here’s how we can work together
Book a posture & foot function assessment
Discover how your feet affect your whole body and what small changes can create big results.
Join one of my movement and proprioception programs
Designed to help you reconnect with your feet, your posture, and your nervous system, from the inside out.
Experience the curaçao escape
A full-body treatment that includes touch therapy, deep relaxation, and sensory integration to support grounding and body awareness.
Float therapy sessions
Learn to release control and tension while floating in the sea, and feel how trust in your body begins at your foundation.
Let’s get you standing tall, from the ground up.
WhatsApp: +5999 5156576
Phone: +5999 788 0023
Because you don’t just deserve to walk pain-free,
you deserve to walk strong, aware, and fully grounded in your power.
Read more from Suzette Obiana - Martina
Suzette Obiana - Martina, Cesar Exercise Therapist
Suzette Obiana-Martina, a licensed Cesar Exercise Therapist with over 15 years of experience, empowers patients to modify daily habits that contribute to their physical complaints. She provides quality time and tailored solutions to improve their personal and professional lives. Her mission is to make people self-reliant, equipping them to manage their own well-being. With extensive training in corporate exercise therapy, foot therapy, coronary diseases, psychology, and psychosomatics, Suzette connects deeply with her patients. By fostering positive encouragement, Suzette helps patients achieve more than they ever thought possible.
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Headlee, D. L., et al. (2008). Relationship between foot pain, muscle strength and size: a systematic review. Physical Therapy, 89(7), 656–673.
Buldt, A. K., & Menz, H. B. (2018). Biomechanical foot factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal conditions of the lower limb: a systematic review. Gait & Posture, 62, 56–67.
Liu, H. et al. (2024). Mechanical foot pain and its association with tibialis posterior weakness in runners. Journal of Orthopaedic Research.
Zhang, Z. et al. (2024). Foot muscle strength and plantar pressure characteristics in patients with metatarsalgia and plantar fasciitis. Scientific Reports, 14(1).
Mickle, K. J., et al. (2019). The role of intrinsic foot muscles in balance and functional performance in older people. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 20, Article 256.
Vuillerme, N., et al. (2008). Plantar-flexor muscle fatigue affects proprioception at the ankle joint. arXiv Preprint arXiv:0806.0084.
