【Chemical Workers of Haichuan, Let’s Get Moving】005 Poor walking posture can harm your legs
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Walking seems to be the simplest form of exercise in the world; every normal person walks every day. But can you really “walk”? Perhaps the way you’ve been *used to walking since childhood is not the correct one, and it might even cause you to get injured. “Most people who walk are unaware that their way of walking is inefficient, which is tantamount to torturing themselves in a disguised form. ”Ken Matson, a fitness expert specializing in walking from Cambridge, UK, said, “For example, many people walk unsteadily and unevenly.” Some people also like to swing their arms widely. Although these may seem like trivial matters, over time they can lead to hidden problems with walking. ” Below are 3 mistakes people may make while walking, along with suggestions for correcting these bad habits one by one. Error 1: Poor posture. Walking coach Bonnie Stann says, “The reason many walkers get injured is quite simple: they don’t walk straight enough.” ”The most common posture mistakes people make when walking include two types: lowering the head, or raising it too high, which causes the body to lean backward. Both of these postures can cause the body to lose balance, putting excessive strain on the muscles beneath the back, which may lead to strains and pain. Correction method: Do not look up or down; keep your eyes fixed ahead, with your neck and body in a straight line. Pay more attention to your body posture while walking, and correct any incorrect movements promptly. Error two: The body being too slack – excessive movement of the arms, large steps, and stomping when stepping on the ground are all common signs of a slack body posture while walking. Those who walk against the normal pattern not only slow down but may also suffer from inflammation and soreness in the shins. Correction method: Keep your arms close to your body; excessive arm movement wastes too much energy. The ideal arm-swinging pattern is to keep the arms bent at 90 degrees, with the elbows close to the body, and swing them forward and backward. At the same time, the stride taken with each step should be consistent, and a proper distance should be maintained; either too large or too small a stride will affect speed. The method for measuring a normal step length is simple: extend one of your legs with the heel close to the ground but not touching it, then lean forward. The point where the heel of the front foot touches the ground represents your normal, appropriate step length. As for landing, it should be done a bit gently; stepping heavily only wastes the energy that should be directed forward. Error three: Repeated routes. Everyone knows that the more interesting the exercise, the better, but experts point out that many people are too lazy to plan their routes. “Many walkers are reluctant to plan their routes in order to maintain the fun of walking; they always take the same path, which eventually becomes boring to them. ” Correction method: Change the environment, take different paths, and occasionally try hiking. During walking, you can try varying your pace – for example, walk at top speed for 30 seconds, then relax for 90 seconds ； Or walk longer distances to further challenge one’s physical fitness, but experts recommend that the walking distance should be increased by no more than 5% per week. Moreover, one should take a rest for a day or two from time to time to avoid overwork.
Error: Arms hang down without swinging. While walking, most people have their arms hanging down with only slight swinging, giving the walk a lack of energy. Correct: When exercising by walking, the whole body should be involved. Whether it’s for warmth or to look cool, don’t keep your arms idle in your jacket pockets while walking! It’s best to let the arms, which are bent, swing naturally with each step in order to create a sense of rhythm; the greater the swing of the arms, the better the effect, as it helps to get the whole body moving! Method: Keep the forearm and upper arm at a right angle, hold your chest up and head high, and swing as widely as possible. The faster the swinging speed, the faster the steps will be, and the better the fitness benefits, provided that physical strength permits it.
Error: Arms hang down without swinging. While walking, most people have their arms hanging down with only slight swinging, giving the walk a lack of energy. Correct: When exercising by walking, the whole body should be involved. Whether it’s for warmth or to look cool, don’t keep your arms idle in your jacket pockets while walking! It’s best to let the arms, which are bent, swing naturally with each step in order to create a sense of rhythm; the greater the swing of the arms, the better the effect, as it helps to get the whole body moving! Method: Keep the forearm and upper arm at a right angle, hold your chest up and head high, and swing as widely as possible. The faster the swinging speed, the faster the steps will be, and the better the fitness benefits, provided that physical strength permits it.
Error: Many people share their walking records on social media, but it’s clear from the routes they choose that they walk on hard asphalt roads, which puts a lot of strain on the knee joints. Correct: When walking, try to choose soft surfaces. Different types of exercise exert varying degrees of stress on the knee joints; even when walking on flat ground, the weight borne by the knee joints is almost 4 times the body’s weight. The impact force on the knee joints is lowest on grass surfaces, next on asphalt roads, and highest on concrete roads. It is best to exercise on a plastic surface, as more than half of the impact force is absorbed by the plastic, which helps to protect joints such as the ankles. If there are no plastic tracks, sports on soft surfaces should be chosen.
Error: There is a wide variety of shoes worn. Some people wear sports shoes, or even professional running shoes, while certain women wear boat shoes or shoes with heels; others even wear leather shoes or sandals... Correct: Walking shoes should be soft and lightweight. In fact, not all shoes are suitable for walking as a form of exercise; if you experience muscle pain frequently, it means the shoes you’re wearing are not appropriate. Shi Renfei from the School of Sports Science at Shanghai University of Sport said that the criteria for shoes to wear when walking are a soft sole, light weight, and a soft upper part. It is best to wear looser clothing when walking, and thick cotton socks are also a good choice as they can provide some cushioning. The choice of shoes is very important; the lighter they are, the better. You can opt for running shoes, as they have a sturdier heel that helps keep the heel stable and prevents it from tilting. There is a properly protruding tongue above the heel, which serves to protect the Achilles tendon. The toe box should be tall and round to prevent squeezing the toes or causing nail congestion.