Could Your Foot Be the Reason Your Hip, Back, or Shoulder Hurts?
Updated: 3 days ago
Most people who come to me with pain aren't asking about their feet. They tell me about a nagging hip, a tight low back, a shoulder that flares up in the middle of a round of golf, or a knee that hurts after a long ride. But in my 20 years of working with athletes and everyday clients, the foot is one of the first places I look.
Your feet are where everything begins
Every time you walk, run, pedal, swing a club, or stand up from a chair, your feet are the first point of contact with the ground or the pedal. How well the muscles of the foot and ankle work affects how your joints line up and share load, from the ankle up through the knee, hip, spine, and shoulders.
When the muscles of the foot aren't contracting well, the body often finds a workaround. Other muscles pick up the slack, joints end up in slightly different positions, and stress builds up somewhere else. That "somewhere else" is often where you feel the pain, and it can be a long way from the foot.
This doesn't mean every hip or back problem starts at the foot. But it's common enough that I never skip it.
Signs your feet may be part of the picture
Your shoes wear down unevenly, or one shoe wears faster than the other
Your arches look flat, or they collapse when you stand or load your weight
One hip, knee, or side of your low back is always tighter than the other
You get foot cramps or fatigue during long rides, runs, or rounds of golf
You've stretched, foam rolled, and strengthened, but the same pain keeps coming back
Your pain shows up in the same place year after year, even as your training changes
How I assess it with MAT
Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) is built on the idea that when a muscle isn't able to contract effectively, the body limits its range of motion to protect the joint, and other areas compensate. In my practice, I take a close look at the muscles that control the foot and ankle and how they affect joint position and movement all the way up the chain.
A typical assessment looks at:
How the foot and ankle move. We check range of motion and how the joints behave under load.
How well the muscles are contracting. We test the muscles of the foot, ankle, and lower leg to find those that aren't doing their share.
The connection upward. We look at how what I find in the foot relates to what's happening in your knee, hip, back, or shoulder.
The plan. We work on restoring good muscle function and then build it into your training so the change carries over to the sport or activity you care about.
Who this matters for
Golfers. Your swing starts from the ground up. Poor foot and ankle function can limit hip rotation and put extra stress on the lower back. (See my post on [why golfers lose rotation → link to golf post].)
Cyclists. Foot position and force through the pedal affect the knee, hip, and lower back over hours in the saddle. As a cyclist myself, I see this both in my own riding and with clients.
Runners, surfers, beach volleyball and tennis players. Sports with lots of pushing off, cutting, and balancing depend on the feet doing their job.
Everyone else. If you're on your feet all day or sit for long stretches, your feet still shape how the rest of you moves.
A pattern I see often
One pattern We see often: someone comes in with recurring hip, knee or low back tightness/pain that keeps coming back no matter how much they stretch or foam roll. When I assess the whole chain, the foot muscles and ankle stability often aren't contributing the way they should, so the hips and back end up working overtime. When we improve how the foot and ankle are working, people often find the areas above them feel better too.
Getting started in the South Bay
If you're dealing with pain that hasn't responded to the usual fixes, or you just want to move better in your sport, I'd be glad to take a look. I work with athletes and active people in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, and Torrance. You can learn more about my approach on the MAT in Manhattan Beach page.
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