These 5 tips will help you walk with proper posture, more confidence, and lower impact on your joints. Don't fall for incorrect walking tips like trying to lean forward which are a mistake.

Poor walking technique can lead to back, hip, knee, and foot pain. Most people are unaware when the way they walk is the cause of their pain. You can improve the way you walk in the same way you would learn a new dance. Not everyone walks with great technique, just like not everyone has great dance technique. Because no one ever gets instruction on how to walk, people just don’t know when it’s a problem. You can use the basic tips in this video to determine if you may have a walking problem. It’s also important to understand when you are getting good information about how to walk and when you are not. There are some highly promoted videos on YouTube recommending ideas like leaning forward to walk, or walking forefoot first instead of heel first. These ideas are based on faulty logic, and I will explain why.

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Tip #1-Vertical Posture
We should stand and walk with vertical posture. There should not be a forward or backward lean at all, not even a slight lean. Walking forward, backward, or in any direction requires using a pattern of rotation of the abdominal core combined with actions from the hip muscles.

Tip #2-Arm Swing
The arms should swing forward in a straight line and on the opposite side as the leg swing. The right arm should go forward with the left leg and the left arm forward with the right leg. The arms should not swing across the front or back of the body. They also should not swing straight back behind the body. The arm should drop back in a relaxed manner to be even with the torso on the back swing. Variations in arm swing reflect variations in rotation of the core. These variations result in an irregular path of travel of the spine and added stress on the joints. If your arms are swinging sideways, it means there are sideways forces acting on your joints and this causes added stress on the joints.

Tip #3-Feet Face Forward

The feet should face straight forward when we walk. There should not be a significant turnout in the feet, referred to as out toeing, or duck feet. Walking with the feet out can add stress on the ankles and arch of the foot, causing them to collapse. It is also associated with posture changes that can cause stress on the back and other joints. Walking with your feet turned out could make you more susceptible to plantar fasciitis or posterior tibial tendonitis.

Tip #4-Gentle Heel Placement

The first part of the foot to contact the ground when we step normally is the heel. The foot should then roll forward into the flat foot position. Many people walk with to hard of a heel strike because they push off, lean forward, or have an anterior pelvic tilt. This can result in knee pain as well as pain in the back, hip, and feet. YouTube has some highly ranked videos by Bob and Brad and Grown and Healthy promoting using a forefoot or midfoot strike to walk instead of placing the heel. There is no evidence for this whatsoever
Tip #5 will be discussed in the video.

Links


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Proper Walking Foot Placement
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00:00 Rethink the way you walk
00:30 Bob and Brad Walking Video
01:15 This is Puzzling
01:55 5 Easy Tips Intro
02:41 Tip 1-Vertical Posture
04:00 Tip 2-Arm Swing
04:36 Tip 3-Feet Face Forward
06:18 Tip 4-Gentle Heel Placement
10:00 Tip 5-When to Commit