Walking is very good for you, it is a form of low impact exercise. Walking has been shown to boost your mood and feeling of happiness.
It is important attention is paid to good footwear. As you walk keep your head upright, your back straight and your chin up. Keeping this posture ensure good muscle activity as well as keeping the chest open allowing good breathing technique.
Good for muscles
Efficient walking uses several of the muscle groups. As you push off with your back foot you use your hamstrings and quadriceps to propel yourself forwards on to the hell of the other foot. As you step the weight is transferred from heel to forefoot,
As you walk the legs do the majority of the work. You should also pay attention to your shoulders keeps them relaxed but in a pulled back position, this keeps your spine in good alignment.
As you walk you should gain arm swing. Our arms naturally hang by our sides, by swinging the arms it increases the efficiency of your stride. So, try to allow your arms to swing keep your hands out your pockets!
So how fast to walk?
As a general rule, you should be able to speak or carry out a conversation whilst walking.
How often should I walk?
Aim for 30 minutes walk 5 times per week. This is in line with Government guidelines.
Why is walking recommended?
Walking is a great form of exercise because:
• It is free!
• You don’t need any fancy equipment
• You can go any time, with friends or alone.
• It is low impact, therefore pressure on joints is minimal.
Walking with Parkinsons
Some medical conditions, such as Parkinsons Disease, can make walking for exercise more challenging but it is still achievable. The main issues for those with Parkinsons are:
• Shorter steps
• Flatter foot contact
• Slower gait
• Less arm swing
• Ridigity causes flexed posture, reduced joint movement
• Fear of falling leads to hesitated gait, festination
• As the automatic function is disturbed freezing of gait can occur
• Weakness
• Light headed
• Unsteadiness
• Dystonia(tremor) or dyskinesia (uncontrolled fidgeting, head bobbing, body swaying).
For more information, see our previous article, About Parkinson’s Disease.
