Let’s Talk About Feet - Your Body’s Foundation
- Chloe Hodgson
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
Our feet are the foundation of every single movement we make - yet they’re often the most neglected part of our body. We squeeze them into narrow shoes, restrict their natural movement, and forget that they’re designed to feel, to move, and to support us from the ground up.
When we start to reconnect with our feet- by going barefoot, strengthening the small intrinsic muscles, and allowing them to move freely, everything changes. Our posture improves, our balance steadies and we feel more grounded, both physically and energetically.
The Problem With Modern Shoes
I hate to break it to you, but your comfy, cushy sneakers have a dirty secret! Modern shoes are robbing our feet of their natural potential. Thick soles restrict flexibility. Narrow toe boxes compromise movement. Shoe heels inhibit spring. And unnecessary cushioning weakens our feet over time.
We’ve been constrained and conditioned - we’ve lost strength and sensation. And for what?
80% of women live with bunions or other foot deformities.
Narrow, Not Natural - Shoes with narrow toe boxes squeeze your toes together and force your feet into unnatural positions, reducing balance and stability.
Cushioned, Not Connected - Thick soles block sensory feedback - the essential communication between your feet and your brain. Without it, your movement becomes less efficient, and weakness can travel up the chain to your knees, hips, and back.
Stiff, Not Strong - Arch support and thick soles might feel good short term, but they restrict natural movement - preventing your feet from doing their job and, over time, making them weaker.
Why Barefoot Shoes Are Better
Vivobarefoot shoes (please use my code CHLOEH20 for 20% off) are designed to let your feet move like feet. Strong, mobile feet that can spread, flex, and feel - enabling proper posture, balance and movement. And when your feet move as nature intended, the benefits ripple upward through your entire body. Wearing Vivos for just six months has been shown to increase foot strength by 60%. I wear Vivobarefoot shoes every day (and have done for years!) because they allow my feet to do what they were designed to do - move, feel, and adapt. The thin, flexible sole strengthens your feet simply through daily movement. You’re improving your strength, stability, and connection with every step.
77% of people have problems with their feet.
🌿 The Benefits of Barefoot Shoes
1. Stronger feet and ankles - You activate muscles that modern shoes switch off.
2. Improved posture and alignment - Your body rebalances naturally from the ground up.
3. Better balance and stability - Your feet can sense and respond to uneven ground with ease.
4. Grounding and energy connection - Walking barefoot on grass, sand, or soil (known as earthing) has been shown to calm the nervous system and reduce inflammation.
Feet Are Your Foundation
Want to see a biomechanical masterpiece? Look down at your feet! Your feet are remarkable. They don’t just enable you to walk, run, jump, and dance -they keep you balanced, absorb impact, and adapt to their surroundings.
But only if you let them. We all have a kinetic chain - a sophisticated system of interconnecting joints and muscles that allows us to move seamlessly. Our feet are the first link in that chain, which means that what happens at the bottom, no matter how small, has a profound impact further up. Strong feet are everything.
Want to Strengthen Yours?
I’ve created a few online classes on my platform that focus specifically on foot mobility, strength, and balance - designed to help you reconnect with your foundation from the ground up.
You’ll find them on my online studio, alongside hundreds of Pilates, strength, and mobility classes that support your whole body. Log-in if you're a member, or sign up for a free 14-day trial now.
