Various Walking Habits; What is the Healthy Way to Walk?

As each individual has a unique face, body, and personality, they also have unique gaits. In the case of gait, however, it is essential to have it checked thoroughly at least once, as it is a matter directly related to health and not just individuality. This is due to the fact that poor walking habits can negatively impact the shoulders, back, spine, and feet.

Q1. How to correct various gaits?

There are people who walk while dragging their feet. Although it is a common gait pattern seen in patients with motor control difficulties such as Parkinson's disease, there are those with weak hip muscles who develop the habit of dragging their feet, in contrast to those with a protruding abdomen due to obesity. It is also prevalent among young women with a lack of abdominal muscle strength. If you fall into this category, raise your chin to look 30 meters in front of you and attempt to land on your heels while extending your legs. Obviously, addressing abdominal obesity is also crucial.

People who cross their legs and walk with their upper body hunched back lack stability because their center of gravity shifts backwards. They may also experience stiff shoulders after walking. The spine appears curved, and this is common in individuals who carry a bag on one shoulder. If this describes you, you should gently press down on your lower abdomen to straighten your body line. Knees should be positioned slightly apart when walking.

Similar to penguins, they sometimes walk from side to side. If you frequently collide with other pedestrians on the street, you may belong to this category. This type of person typically has a raised chin, so it is essential to walk with the chin facing forward and the chest wide open.

Q2. What are the consequences of poor walking habits?

Not only does improper gait appear odd, but it also consumes more energy, which can cause the body to tire quickly. In addition, continuing to walk in this manner can result in degenerative changes and pain in the ankles, knees, and femoral joints, as well as pelvic abnormalities and spinal disorders. Therefore, it is essential to identify the cause of the abnormal gait as soon as possible and to receive the necessary corrective or rehabilitative treatment.

Women who favor wearing high heels or have flat feet or hallux valgus should pay special attention to their gait. This is because women who frequently wear heels tend to shift their weight forward and inward when standing or walking, and if you have flat feet or hallux valgus, the severity may be exacerbated, causing pain at the roots of the toes or in the big toe. In this case, the symptoms may be alleviated by reducing the frequency of wearing high heels and by stretching and correcting the gait on a regular basis.

In addition, walking with the back arched and the legs facing outward increases the likelihood that the facet joint will become inflamed or that the spinal canal will narrow, resulting in back pain.

In addition, although there is no specific cause for the difference in leg length, an increasing number of patients are visiting the hospital for 'misalignment syndrome,' in which left and right symmetry during walking is not achieved.

If the sound is louder when stepping on one foot, if one shoe always wears out first, or if the inner or outer heel always wears out first, you should consult a specialist even if you do not feel any abnormalities in your gait.

Q3. How to walk correctly?

Walking appears simple, but it is actually a complex process in which all the muscles and joints of the lower extremities move in unison while simultaneously moving the body's center. Therefore, it is crucial to walk with the correct posture.

The ideal gait should consist of natural side-to-side or up-and-down movements, and there should be no pain in the soles of the feet even when walking long distances. In addition, when walking, it is optimal to land on the heel and step towards the foot's center (outer edge) and toes in that order.

It is also essential to align your chest, back, and shoulders so that your body is perpendicular to the floor. Your eyes should be directed straight ahead with a slight chin tuck, and your arms should be formed into a L or V shape and swung back and forth naturally so that the front arm muscles are not overstretched.

If you want to increase the efficiency of walking, the most stable stride length is determined by subtracting 100cm from your height, and adjusting your speed according to your stamina is helpful.

Source | Professor Lim Jong-yeop, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea

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