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Take a Walking Test Our walking test can help you see the six common Walking Problems and how to correct them.
The pictures below show the incorrect walking form. If you hold your mouse over the image for a few seconds, it will switch to the correct form. You can also click on the picture for more details.
1. Are you Overstriding?
Take Short Quick Steps to ground your bouncy walk.
To walk faster, many people
take longer steps. This increase in stride length actually slows them down, over
arches the back, and creates more bounce and compression into the joints. Warning
signs of Overstriding include: a bouncy or noisy walk
with heel, knee or low back pain which increases during or after walking.
To correct, shorten your stride to avoid joint pain. You'll walk faster and smoother.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
2. Do you have a Poor Push-off?
Develop Push-off Power to build a faster, dynamic walk.
You might think you are pushing
off, but you're probably not getting the power you could. Most people (approx.
75%) don't have their feet under and behind them. They step forward, don't use
their ankles and lower legs fully and fail to roll through their feet. Warning
signs of Poor Push-off include: a slow often flat footed
walk that is more in front of the body than underneath, joint pain, and lack of
leg and buttock contouring.
To correct, push off beneath and behind you. This will increase your speed and contour your buttock and legs.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
3. Do you have Unbalanced Gait?
Balance your Body to enjoy an efficient, fluid stride.
Most of us who drive cars
have a stronger right leg which tends to push off harder when we walk. Often our
right arm also dominates. The left arm and leg remain less dominate. This imbalance
can create a problem when we consider the consequences of taking 8,000 - 10,000
steps in our average day, exclusive of exercise walking.
If one foot points out at an angle, while the other tracks forward, or we roll to the inside (pronate) or outside (supinate) of one foot, then trouble may be waiting further down the road. Mother Nature prefers balance.
Warning signs of an Unbalanced Gait include: uneven sound of footsteps, uneven shoe wear, socks or other clothing which twists on the body, one arm which swings more easily back, joint pain in the leg, hip or spine on one side (which may be straining to keep you walking forward).
To correct, balance your leg push off and arm stroke on both sides of your body. Very gradually (about 1/4 " a month) begin bringing your feet more parallel and knees tracking forward.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
4. Are you Compressed or slumping?
Elongate your Body to grow taller and thinner.
Unfortunately, most of us haven't
learned to use our skeletal system to hold us up. Our muscles are over stressed
doing that job. This reduces our oxygen intake and circulation leaving us too
tired to sit or stand straight.
Warning signs of Compression include: heavy or slow walk, poor posture, spinal or joint pain, and difficulty breathing.
To correct, lift up and out of your lower back and hips to feel lighter on your feet and relieve pain. Dynamic Walking's unique gliding walk builds core postural muscles (the psoas muscles) - with every one of those daily steps.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
5. Are your Shoulder behind your Hips?
Bring your Shoulders Over Hips to improve your stride, posture and confidence.
When we carry a heavy bundle
with two arms, we naturally lean slightly backward to center the weight. All too
frequently, we continue carrying the upper body behind our hips, the way we see
models sometimes walk. This common posture can only be identified by having someone
take a photo of you from the side. Warning
signs of Shoulders Behind Hips include: slower walk, poor posture, headache, back ache, and shoulder
tension.
To correct, lift and slide your rib cage more forward to build a strong core and faster pain free walk. You'll also need to lift your chin slightly.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
6. Do you have a Forward Head?
Bring your Ears Over Shoulders to enjoy a more youthful appearance.
Unfortunately, our daily activities
of writing, computing, driving and talking focus our efforts right in front of
our faces. Our eyes, our minds and our heads tend to strain forward. We can see
this happening in our children as they jut their neck and head forward carrying
heavy backpacks. They tend to reinforce this posture when they sit down to computers
(often beginning at early as age 4). This posture wrecks havoc on the body but
it's excellent for manufacturers of pain killers. It also tends to make us age
faster and become stooped. Warning signs
of Forward Head include: slower walk, poor posture,
headache, backache, and shoulder tension.
To prevent pain, strain and rounded shoulders, stand tall with your head gently perched on top of your spine.
If you think you may have this problem, click here
Remember, its easy to correct these problems but they won't go away by themselves. Prevent future injury, lost time and money. You can walk lighter, taller, younger and stronger.
This series of articles first appeared in Prevention Magazine. A special thanks to Prevention and to Maggie Spilner who edited these stories.
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