Walking is the easiest aerobic exercise for people who do not have exercise habits. It can be done without special economic investment or equipment, and it has the advantage that the elderly, pregnant women, and people with poor health can do it without too much pressure. In addition, if you continue walking, it is effective in helping to control cholesterol levels and reduce body fat, preventing various adult diseases and improving symptoms. In addition, it helps mental health by reducing stress, depression, and anxiety, and maintaining a healthy immune system by promoting metabolism and removing body waste is also a health benefit obtained through steady continuation of walking exercise. It is said that it is a walking exercise that has a number of outstanding advantages and gives a positive effect, but if you continue with the wrong posture or gait, the exercise effect not only decreases, but it also puts a strain on the body. In particular, when the wrong walking habit is continued for a long time, it can act as a factor that increases the risk of developing disc and spine-related diseases by putting stress on the joints, knees, and back. So today, let’s look at various information about bad walking habits.
4 bad walking habits that you should fix
1. The habit of walking with a swaggering gait
It has been known that long-lasting walking habits with various wrong steps puts a lot of strain on the joints and back. One of the most common wrong gait habits is swaggering gait. When walking, the swaggering gait, when walking with the feet open more than 15 degrees to the outside, causes the back to lean back to narrow the spinal canal and at the same time cause deformation of the joints, knees, and hips, increasing the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. .
2. Habit of walking with toe-in gait
Toe-in gait means that when you walk, your toes point inward at an angle of 7 to 17 degrees. When the habit of walking with toe-in gait is continued for a long time, the hip joint is twisted forward, making it difficult to use the Achilles tendon sufficiently when walking for a long time, and it causes frequent pain in the knee and ankle joints. In addition, the habit of walking in a straight line puts the entire center of gravity on the inside of the knee, causing inflammation of the inner joint, which can lead to arthritis. In addition, the habit of dragging and dragging the feet makes it impossible to use the leg muscles properly, which can cause fatigue and foot pain.
3. Habit of walking in awkward postures
When walking, walking with an excessively large stride or walking with an excessively large shaking of the body can also reduce the effectiveness of exercise. This habit of walking not only puts a lot of strain on the body, but also can cause abnormal symptoms such as shin pain. In addition, the habit of walking crookedly with the head down can strain the spine and cause back pain. Continuing this kind of walking for a long time can cause spine-related diseases, so you should get into the habit of walking with your back straight.
4. The habit of touching the ground with the front of the foot first
It is said that the habit of touching the ground from the front of the foot or the heel and the front of the foot at the same time can cause an impact not only on the foot but also on the ankle or knee. It is said that the landing of the foot must start with the heel in order to withstand the weight of the body weight and to minimize the impact transmitted to the body. Therefore, it is recommended to use the entire sole of the foot and walk with a balanced foot in the order from the heel to the sole of the foot and then to the big toe. It is also important to keep your feet in a figure of 11, and to walk with your entire foot pressed to the ground.
Notes and cautions for walking exercise
It is recommended to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before and after starting walking exercise. And if you are a beginner who is just starting out walking, it is known that it is effective to walk at 30 to 40% of the intensity of walking or walking at a walking pace, and then gradually increase the intensity of walking and walk at a trot of 40 to 70%. Also, when choosing shoes, please note that it is recommended to choose sneakers with good cushioning and with 1 to 1.5 cm of space in the big toe to reduce the burden on the joints and prevent the risk of injury.
