Walking
Walking to Support Foot Health in Sugar Land
For a healthier and happier lifestyle try walking — the most popular form of exercise. It’s easy, safe, and inexpensive. It’s also relaxing and at the same time invigorating requires little athletic skill, and does not call for club membership or special equipment other than sturdy, comfortable shoes. The results of walking are physically rewarding — a fit body with enhanced general health.
Fundamental walking (also known as health walking) can be done almost anywhere and at any time– in the mall, at the beach, in your neighborhood. You can walk alone, with your dog, or with others.
Walking benefits almost everybody, regardless of age. About 67 million men and women are walking regularly. Convinced that it is good exercise, they’re making it a part of their daily routine — and their numbers are increasing yearly, according to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
A Sure Way to Fitness
Increase your speed maintaining a steady pace. A good conditioning program begins with moderation and dedication.
Podiatric and family physicians recommend walking to ease or ward off a number of physically related ills. Walking can help:
- Strengthen your heart and lungs, and improve circulation
- Prevent heart attacks and strokes
- Reduce obesity and high blood pressure
- Boost your metabolic rate
- Favorably alter your cholesterol
- Improve muscle tone in your legs and abdomen
- Reduce stress and tension
- Reduce arthritis pain; stop bone tissue decay
The Art of Walking
Before you start walking, some simple warm-up exercises (but not strenuous stretching) can give your muscles added flexibility. Body twists at the waist, in a slow hula-hoop motion, and a few toe- touching or knee-bend exercises are appropriate. When you’re ready to begin, the best way to start is by walking 20 uninterrupted minutes at least three times a week. Walk at a comfortable pace, slowing down if you find yourself breathing heavily. Don’t tire yourself. If 20 minutes is too much, cut back to 10 or 15 minutes. You can gradually increase your time and pace as your body adapts.
There are several ways to measure your pace. One is to walk on routes that you have pre-measured with your car’s odometer. Perhaps the simplest is to use a wristwatch. Count the number of steps you take in a 15-second period; if you’re taking 15 in that time, you’re walking about two miles an hour. At about 23, you’re probably going three miles an hour, and at 30, the pace is close to four miles an hour.
You may want to keep an activity log, in which you jot down the dates, times, and estimated distances of your walks, plus other notes, such as routes, milestones, and incidental experiences.
Tips
- Move at a steady pace, brisk enough to make your heart beat faster. Breathe more deeply.
- Walk with your head erect, back straight, abdomen flat. Keep your legs out front and your knees slightly bent.
- Swing your arms freely at your sides.
- As you walk, land on the heel of your foot and roll forward to push off on the ball of your foot.
- At least at the beginning, confine your walks to level stretches of flat surfaces, avoiding excessively steep hills and embanked roadways.
- If you’re walking in the evening, be sure to wear clothing with reflective material sewn in, or otherwise attached.
- Cool down after a long, brisk walk to help pump blood back up from your legs to where it’s needed. Here’s where some stretching exercises can be helpful. A good one is standing about three feet from a wall, with your hands flat on the wall. Then take five or six small steps backward, maintaining your hand contact with the wall. Repeat the exercise five to ten times.
Racewalking
Racewalking is a specific technique that’s used by walkers for both fitness and competition. It has greater aerobic benefits than healthy walking since it is faster and increases the heartbeat rate. If you get to the point where you think racewalking is for you, contact a club in your city.
Walking Footwear: Comfort and Fit
Choose a good quality, lightweight walking shoe with breathable upper materials, such as leather or nylon mesh. The heel counter should be very firm; the heel should have reduced cushioning to position the heel closer to the ground for walking stability. The front or forefoot area of the shoe should have adequate support and flexibility.
Have plenty of room for the toes to move around. Several walking shoes have qualified to use the have plenty of room for the toes to move around. Several walking shoes have qualified to use the American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Seal of Acceptance. American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Seal of Acceptance.
Your choice of athletic socks is also important. We recommend appropriately padded socks of acrylic fiber. Acrylic fibers tend to “wick” away excessive perspiration, which active feet can produce from 250,000 sweat glands at a rate of four to six ounces a day, or even more. Again, there are popular brands of athletic socks that are authorized to use APMA’s Seal of Acceptance.
Tips
- Check on the shoe width; it must comfortably accommodate the width of the ball of your foot
- Make sure your shoe offers good arch support
- The top of the heel counter in the shoe should be properly cushioned and doesn’t bite into the heel or touch the ankle bones
Do You Need a Checkup?
If you are free of serious health problems, you can start walking with confidence. Walking is not strenuous; it involves almost no risk to health. You should, of course, exercise good judgment, not exceed the limits of your condition, and not walk outdoors during extreme weather periods, until you have a good walking program established.
You should, however, consult your family or podiatric physician before you begin a walking regimen. A checkup is suggested, particularly if you are over 60, have a disease or disability, or are taking medication. It is also recommended for those who are 35-60, substantially overweight, easily fatigued, excessive smokers, or those who have been physically inactive.
Your physician will help you determine your proper walking heart rate. Heart rate is widely accepted as a good method for measuring intensity during exercise. The formula says that subtracting your age from the number 220 yields your maximum heart rate (beats per minute) and that the proper walking rate is 60-70 percent of that number. For a 50-year-old, that’s 220 minus 50 equals 170; 60 percent of that is 102 and 70 percent is 119. Schedule your appointment today!