Most people do not give much thought to how they walk, or whether they are walking correctly. But, walking with the right technique and maintaining good posture while doing so can reduce fatigue and muscle aches, prevent back, hip, leg and neck pain, keep your joints and bones aligned properly, reduce the risk of injuries, decrease wear and tear on your muscles, joints and ligaments and improve your stability and balance. The good news is that it is not difficult to walk with the right posture and technique. But, you do need to be mindful of how you move.
Walking engages your entire body and to walk correctly, you need to focus on every part of the body, from head to toe. Let’s take a look at some of the tips to walk properly with good posture.
Keep your head up
When you walk, your focus should be on standing tall and keeping your chin parallel to the ground, while your ears should be aligned above your shoulders. Do not drop your head to your chest when you walk. Your gaze and eyes should remain forward. Keep your focus at least 10 to 20 feet ahead of you when you are walking.
Lengthen your back
Elongate your spine when you are walking. Do not hunch, slouch, or lean forward because this can put stress on your back muscles.
Keep your shoulders back and down
Bear in mind that shoulders play a key role in your walking technique and posture. If they are hunched forward and tensed, the joints and muscles in your shoulders, upper back and neck will be strained. Make sure your shoulders are correctly aligned when you walk. You can do this by bringing them up high in a shrug-like motion and then allow them to fall and relax. Keep your shoulders relaxed and loose, instead of slouching forward and tensed up towards the ears. Do shoulder shrugs while walking to ensure your shoulders remain relaxed and in the correct position.
Engage your core
Core muscles also play a key role during your walk because they help you move more easily. With every step you take, focus on engaging and tightening the core muscles by pulling in your belly button towards the spine. It helps in maintaining stability and balance. It can also relieve pressure and stress on your back during your walk.
Swing your arms
You should swing your arms back and forth gently when you walk. Make sure you are swinging them from your shoulders rather than your elbows. Do not swing them across the body and keep them around the midsection. You should not swing your arms up too high, around the chest.
Step from heel to toe
Maintain a steady gait from heel to toe. This means your heel should first strike the ground and then roll through it to the toe from where you push out the step. Do not take flat-footed steps, or use your toes for striking the ground first.
