We teach ourselves how to walk, the beauty of learning to move. But what about those who suffer discomfort when walking as adults? Those who are not as mobile as they could be? As I share in this episode, it’s never too late to learn to walk more efficiently. To walk without P.A.I.N.
Thinking about the act of walking and holding ourselves upright with the cylinder of the core of our bodies having some engagement, will immediately change your style of walking. You’re giving the center of your mass more engagement and your joints more support. Before you walk, look at how you stand, follow your posture, then take that into how you walk.
It’s so important to know that, if you are going forward, it’s the muscles at the back of your body that will help that happen. Use your glutes and hips to help propel you forward. Also ask what is your neck doing? What is your head doing? Try not to put your head down when you’re walking, as your body weight will also be forward as you walk.
If you’re hiking, you can avoid walking discomfort in a number of ways. One is the shoes you wear. Use shoes with a wider toe box rather than a narrow one. The heel should not be over elevated. Whatever you wear on your feet should support your posture.
Also consider hiking poles. They can offset some of the load on your joints. They add one more source of contact with the ground to spread the dispersed force and gives you that little bit of extra rhythm. A specially fitted backpack at an outdoor is also something I highly recommend if you’re hiking.
For those who just want to walk without P.A.I.N, I recommend learning to walk in a way with a “newness” to it. You need to work your core as you go. It’s never too late to walk better and more efficiently.
- Think about your posture.
- Use the core to support your walking gait.
- Use the muscles at the back to propel you forward.
- Notice how using your core improves your walking.
- Get the right equipment if you are hiking.
Resources:
- Check out: movementbylara.com
- Instagram: @lara.heimann
- Facebook: facebook.com/movementbylara
