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Take a Walking Test GROUND A BOUNCY WALK
| The Problem | Identification |
Benefits of Correction | Body/Mind
Changes |
| Overstriding |
Bouncy walk Noisy step Increased pain in heels, knees and/or hips during or after walking Plantar fascitis or heel spurs |
Reduced or eliminated pain Increased speed More efficient use of legs and buttocks Increased speed and power Increased aerobic workout Fewer incidents or visits to chiropractors or other health professionals. |
Not "biting off more than you can chew" Not "getting ahead of yourself" Making more realistic demands on yourself Not feeling as over extended Feeling more patient, less stressed, Living more in the present moment |
Overstriding may cause pain. Shorten your stride for a smooth, gliding walk.
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Natalie had knee pain for as long as she could remember. She wondered whether her bouncy walk had something to do with it. She remembers being laughed at in junior high as she bounded down the hall. In her 30's, her podiatrist prescribed orthotics for a painful heel spur. In her 40's she began having low back as well as knee pain. Walking seemed to make the pain in her heels, knees, and back even worse.
She came for Dynamic Movement training because she wanted to be able to walk aerobically to combat the pounds she'd been putting on in mid-life. Checking her posture, we noticed that Natalie always locked her knees when she stood, creating a swayback.
Analyzing her walk, we discovered she took too long a step. That's what created her bouncy walk - and her pain. A bobbing, up-and-down walk is a symptom of overstriding.
Overstriding forced her heels to hit the ground too hard, jamming her knees and overarching her low back. In addition, the weight of her head and upper body landed heavily on her overarched lower back with every step. It was not a mystery to me that she had pain. I'd be more surprised if she were pain-free!
Natalie laughed when I suggested that her problems might be due to overstriding. "I always feel like I'm biting off more than I can chew, or that I'm trying to catch up with some image I hold of myself." Once she learned a new way of walking, Natalie not only got out of pain, she felt more calm. In our work, we often see changes in movement style affecting a person's sense of emotional well-being.
As Natalie concentrated on shorter, quicker steps, the pain in her heels, knees, and low back began to disappear within a few days. Following the Dynamic Body Exercises, she realigned her posture in a few weeks. In three months, her pain was a memory. In six months, her new posture and walking style became a natural way of life.
If you have the warning signs of Overstriding, we suggest you order the following training products; our walking audio tape and our stretching video tape. In addition, we'll send you specific exercises to help correct Overstriding. You might also consider Video Coaching by mail. You'll correct your faulty biomechanics and build a stronger stride and more confident, powerful image. Enjoy gliding through life dynamically!
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Dynamic
Health &
Fitness Institute
PO Box 355
Corte Madera, CA 94976
(415) 924-4013
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1-888-852-6717
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