Of course, most people would say, everyone knows how to walk; it is as instinctive as breathing. The comparison is apt- just like many people breathe inefficiently, in today’s world many have forgotten how to walk. If you look around you, you will see that by the time people reach their fifties, they either waddle with their sideways swaying movement or have a forward shuffling gait. This unnatural way of walking pushes the spine, hip and knees out of alignment resulting in aches, pains and even degenerative arthritis. As we grow older we have to concentrate on maintaining a proper walking technique. Slouching, bad posture and an improper gait are avoidable pitfalls.
The average person takes between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day and has been walking since their first birthday but, frighteningly, most of us are still doing it incorrectly. If you are walking incorrectly your muscles are forced to do some extra work to compensate and support your body which will lead to muscle soreness and joint problems.
Walking properly has plenty of benefits, from improving general posture and muscle tone to preventing twisted ankles, calluses and long-term joint damage, but it takes time and concentration to achieve. It also helps in loosing weight. The body language expert Robert Phipps, the way we walk is central to making a good (or bad) first impression.
Right Posture for walking:
Whenever you walk, hold your head high and the neck straight. The eyes should be focused 15 -20 feet ahead, the chin held parallel to the ground, the stomach pulled in, the feet shoulder width apart and the arms should swing naturally at right angles( not across body)
Some do nots while walking:
- Don’t tilt your head to one side,
- Don’t slump your shoulders
- Don’t strike the ground with your toe first. use your heel first, then feel the pressure roll towards balls of your feet, then push off your toes
