Known as “Mobility Maker,” Dana Santas is a certified strength and conditioning expert in professional sports, mental and physical coach, and author of the book “Practical Solutions for Low Back Pain.”
Health experts universally recommend walking as one of the easiest and most accessible forms of exercise, and for good reason.
Regular walks offer plenty of physiological and mental health benefits, research shows. This activity can improve cardiovascular health, boost mood and energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and further reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
However, many people get over their daily walks on autopilot without paying attention to posture, alignment or quality of movement. Over time, poor walking dynamics can enhance muscle imbalances, joint stiffness, and compensation patterns that contribute to pain and dysfunction.
The good news is that by being more intentional about your movements, breathing, and alignment, you can turn it into a full body tune-up for any walk. Here’s how to count all the steps:
Understand the biomechanics of walking
The first step in a better walking is to understand it as an exercise pattern. Proper walking is a little more complicated than placing one foot in front of the other. Healthy walking patterns are tailored full body activity. The way your feet hit the ground and how your glute is fire, core stable and your arms sway in rhythm are all important.
Proper walking mechanics start with a heel-toe foot strike and create forward momentum while activating the muscles along the back of the foot and glut. At each step, the core must be gently involved in stabilizing the pelvis and spine.
Your ribcage and hips rotate slightly in adjusted movements with the swings of the opposite arms and legs. This alternating movement not only helps to move forward efficiently, but also helps to evenly distribute weight and effort through joints and muscles.
Positioning or muscle imbalances can change walking in ways that can counter the health benefits of walking, increasing the risk of chronic pain and injury.
Use these two simple methods to evaluate walking mechanics.
1. Check the wear pattern on the bottom of the shoe. Normal wear should be relatively uniform beyond the heel and forefoot. Excessive wear on one side of the shoe, worn on one shoe than on one shoe, and worn on the other, indicating a balanced foot strike and walking asymmetry.
2. Enlist to capture videos to family and friends while walking. Walk at normal speed in a pattern that feels like a comfortable walking for you. Don’t try to adjust preemptively, as you want to observe potential problems.
Many walking problems stem from step length and foot positioning issues. Short, shuffle steps often prevent the glut section from being fired properly. Similarly, walking “ducks” (with open hips and angled legs on the outside) reduces proper glute activation and posture alignment. The opposite problem is that walking on the hip toes, which rotates internally and with the feet horned inside, also prevents Groot from activating and alignment.
The upper body mechanism plays an equally important role in walking quality. Limited arm swings create muscle tension and stress, especially in the neck, shoulders and back. Hunched posture with an anterior head position throws alignment and causes muscle tension throughout the body. Asymmetrical movement patterns – often caused by constant carrying a bag on one shoulder, holding a dog’s leash in one hand, or walking hand in hand with a partner.
Even breathing patterns can affect the quality of your walking. Chest-directed shallow breathing creates stiffness in the thoracic cage, weakens the stability of the core, and affects the overall pattern of movement. These patterns may appear subtle, but can have combined effects over time, leading to pain in the feet, knees, hips, back and neck, especially those in the legs, knees, and hips.
Use this checklist to make sure your body is in the best walking form when you go out for your next walk.
Adjust the joints: The shoulders and hips should be stacked vertically, providing the spine with a centerline from the top of the head to the base of the pelvis. Do not protrude your head forward or arch your hips.
Beware of your foot strikes: Land gently on your heel or midfoot and roll to your toes. Keep your feet facing forward and avoid heavy, flat scaffolding.
Balance your weight and effort: Feel that you’re evenly distributing your energy from one to the other with equally weighted foot strikes and glute firing.
Use your lutes: Think about driving each step from behind your waist. Feel your glut section get involved as your feet are pushed out.
Move your arms: Shake your arms naturally against your legs. Try switching sides regularly if you need to keep your elbows soft and carry a bag or have a pet leash.
Let your gaze move forward: Instead of going down the ground, look ahead – and definitely not your phone! This will help you maintain a relaxed posture that improves your overall vision.
It exists: Maintain awareness of your surroundings and continually assess how you feel in your movements, posture, and breathing.
Breathe consciousnessy: Hold your breath. It guides your pace, posture and presence.
Most people don’t think about how to breathe while walking, but breathing can have a big impact on posture, energy regulation, and quality of movement. Shallow, upper chest breathing is often accompanied by poor posture and increased stress levels, limiting thoracic mobility and reducing core engagement.
While walking, focus on rhythmic nose breathing tailored to your steps. Try inhaling 4 steps and using a slightly extended exhalation in 6 steps. This breathing pattern regulates the nervous system, promotes natural expansion and contraction of the thoracic cage, and supports the alignment and mobility of the spinal cord during walking.
By doing some mobility exercises before a walk, you can prepare your muscles, improve joint range and reduce tension for a more beneficial walking experience.
Try these three moves:
1. Focus on the foot and ankles by making five ankle circles in each direction on each side.
2. Run a set of five step back lounges on each side to prepare the glut, core, legs and feet.
3. Finally, stretch your tension on the back of your legs, make your hips longer, and open your chest and shoulders as the windmill twists on either side of your body.
Walking is more than just cardiovascular exercise or how to get there from here. It’s an opportunity to strengthen better posture, improve mobility and reconnect with your body. By intentionally walking, adjusting your breathing and upgrading your mechanics, you can turn this daily activity into a powerful tool for health and wellness.
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