4 Ways To Improve Your Walking Posture

We rarely think about the way we walk. However, as a result of injury or poor posture, we may actually be walking incorrectly. Injuries, especially those sustained at an early age but have not been addressed properly, cause many walking anomalies, says an expert. This is because, after an injury, muscles on one side will be used more to support the body, leading to overuse and an increased likelihood of other injuries, adds a certified pilates and gyrotonic instructor.

So. to avoid such discomfort and pain, improve the way you walk with these tips:

1. Mind Your Standing Posture
Research from the US shows that the natural design of our bodies makes walking seem effortless. Proper walking posture would be a balanced position in which the head and torso are in a vertical alignment, as the legs take stride to move the body in any direction. Imagine a plumb line running along the side of the body from the middle of the ear to the bony edge of the shoulder and then the side seam of your pants, says an expert.

Get Relief: Use the guideline above to determine which areas in your body needs improvement. All you need is a full-length mirror.

2. Correct Bad Walking Posture Early
Some examples of poor walking postures include slouching, leaning to one side, as well as over- and under-pronating (supinating) of the feet. These can be caused by factors such as weakness of muscles in the feet, lower leg or even in the hip. A restriction in the ankle joint can also affect foot alignment, says an expert.

These conditions can be corrected if they’re spotted early. If someone comments you’re walking funny, go to a specialist, such as a podiatrist, to get your feet assessed. This is because, when the causes are not addressed, the body will be prone to injury due to the way it compensates for these weaknesses.

Common problems arising from incorrect walking include lower-back pain and knee injuries, says an expert. The knee is the largest joint in the body. It bears up to four times our weight when we run. The hip and the ankle also commonly affected by sports injuries.

Get Relief: Spend five to 10 minutes a day paying attention to how you walk. Is your body weight evenly distributed between your feet? Are your shoulders drooping? Is there any pain?

3. Change Your Gait
Getting out of the habit of walking poorly does not have to be a painful. Experts have developed many ways of correcting the body’s alignment of the body, depending on the severity the condition. These include specially designed shoes which promote proper alignment and balance of the joints. Another approach is to strengthen the weaker areas of body through exercises such as gyrotonic or pilates. These work one side of the body at a time.

Get Relief: If you’re prone to relying too much on one side of your body, spend five to
10 minutes working on the other. Over time, as your weaker side strengthens, and as you cultivate the habit, you’ll be able to comfortably depend on both sides.

4. Be Patient With Rehabilitation
Retraining your body and rehabilitating injured or weakened areas will take time. So, depending on your goal, you just need to get into the right programme – and stick to it. For example, exercises to strengthen the problem areas are a must even when you are using orthotics. Otherwise, the symptoms will return if you remove the orthotics.

Get Relief: Set a daily reminder on your mobile phone at a fixed (and convenient) time to do your five- to 10-minute corrective exercises, and take note of how your body responds during each session. What is important is that, every day, you’re making a conscious effort in correcting your step.