Why You’re Not “Fixed” in One Session

And why real foot & lower-limb change actually takes time

I think people are expecting to be fixed in one session and people don’t realise the amount of joints and muscle connections in the lower body and the work needed (strength) and connectiveness (joint sequencing) to actually have a foot or lower limb function in walking.

The lower limb is not a single joint or muscle problem. It is a highly complex, multi-joint system that relies on precise timing, coordination, and load sharing between joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the nervous system (Neumann, 2017; Standring, 2021).

The foot alone contains 33 joints, and when you consider the ankle, tibiofibular joints, knee (tibiofemoral and patellofemoral), and hip, each lower limb contains close to 39 joints. Across both legs, this brings the total to approximately 78 joints involved in lower-limb function during walking (StatPearls, 2024; Moore, Dalley and Agur, 2023).

What I’m Actually Looking For in a Session

So what I do is see which joints are not moving or articulating in the sequence, allow you to see and feel the change then and only then do we then need a process to follow to get all the lower limb joints working together.

This first step is about restoring joint articulation and sequencing, not strength. Research consistently shows that early improvements in movement and strength are driven largely by neural adaptations, including improved coordination, timing, and motor unit recruitment, rather than changes in muscle size (Enoka, 1988; Carroll, Riek and Carson, 2001; Folland and Williams, 2007).

That’s why people often feel better quickly — the nervous system has been shown a new option.

Why Feeling Better Is Not the Same as Being Rebuilt

Now if one or 10 joints are not moving or sequencing well or at all then it takes time for this to change, then allow the nervous system to integrate into the entire system and reboot.

This integration phase is critical. Walking is a highly repetitive task performed thousands of times per day, and changing it requires repetition, consistency, and progressive exposure, not force or intensity (Neumann, 2017).

Once this happens the strengthen of the entire muscle chain and groups begins — research and in my experience takes 6 weeks (muscles).

This timeframe is well supported. Studies show measurable muscle hypertrophy and architectural change beginning around 4–6 weeks, with neural adaptations dominating earlier phases of training (Blazevich et al., 2007; Lieber and Fridén, 2000; Folland and Williams, 2007).

Why Tendons and Ligaments Take Longer

Add about ligaments and connective tissue timeframe.

Unlike muscle, tendons and ligaments adapt more slowly. Research consistently shows that tendon stiffness, collagen synthesis, and structural remodelling typically require 8–12 weeks or longer, with more robust and reliable changes occurring over several months (Kjaer et al., 2009; Bohm, Mersmann and Arampatzis, 2015; Magnusson et al., 2007).

Ligaments and connective tissues also undergo prolonged remodelling phases, particularly when load patterns are changing, meaning patience is not optional — it’s biological (Benjamin and McGonagle, 2001).

The Reality of Changing a Human Lower Limb

So include in this the amount of joints in the lower limb (I think it’s 78 joints) and the time and dedication to change the entire human lower limb let alone the torso and upper body.

Walking is not a foot problem.

It is a whole-system problem.

The foot, ankle, knee, hip, pelvis, spine, and nervous system must all contribute at the right time, in the right sequence, and with the right amount of load. When even a few joints drop out of the sequence, others are forced to compensate — often leading to pain, fatigue, or breakdown elsewhere in the system (Neumann, 2017; Standring, 2021).

This is not about fixing something quickly.

It is about rebuilding coordination first, then allowing strength to develop, and finally giving connective tissue enough time to adapt.

That process works — but it works on biological timelines, not expectations.

References 

Benjamin, M. and McGonagle, D. (2001) ‘The anatomical basis for disease localisation in seronegative spondyloarthropathy at entheses and related sites’, Journal of Anatomy, 199(5), pp. 503–526.

Blazevich, A.J., Cannavan, D., Coleman, D.R. and Horne, S. (2007) ‘Influence of concentric and eccentric resistance training on architectural adaptation in human quadriceps muscles’, Journal of Applied Physiology, 103(5), pp. 1565–1575.

Bohm, S., Mersmann, F. and Arampatzis, A. (2015) ‘Human tendon adaptation in response to mechanical loading: a systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise intervention studies on healthy adults’, Sports Medicine, 45(11), pp. 1575–1595.

Carroll, T.J., Riek, S. and Carson, R.G. (2001) ‘Neural adaptations to resistance training: implications for movement control’, Sports Medicine, 31(12), pp. 829–840.

Enoka, R.M. (1988) ‘Muscle strength and its development: new perspectives’, Sports Medicine, 6(3), pp. 146–168.

Folland, J.P. and Williams, A.G. (2007) ‘The adaptations to strength training: morphological and neurological contributions to increased strength’, Sports Medicine, 37(2), pp. 145–168.

Kjaer, M., Langberg, H., Heinemeier, K., Bayer, M.L., Hansen, M., Holm, L. and Magnusson, S.P. (2009) ‘From mechanical loading to collagen synthesis, structural changes and function in human tendon’, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 19(4), pp. 500–510.

Lieber, R.L. and Fridén, J. (2000) ‘Functional and clinical significance of skeletal muscle architecture’, Muscle & Nerve, 23(11), pp. 1647–1666.

Magnusson, S.P., Hansen, M., Langberg, H., Miller, B. and Kjaer, M. (2007) ‘The adaptability of tendon to loading differs in men and women’, Journal of Applied Physiology, 102(6), pp. 2057–2063.

Moore, K.L., Dalley, A.F. and Agur, A.M.R. (2023) Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 9th edn. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.

Neumann, D.A. (2017) Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System. 3rd edn. St. Louis: Elsevier.

Standring, S. (2021) Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd edn. London: Elsevier.

StatPearls (2024) ‘Anatomy, Foot’, NCBI Bookshelf. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/