We can indulge in walking for fun, but also to
improve our health by making it part of our daily routine. The many
benefits of walking cannot be overestimated since they are supported by solid
scientific evidence. *
* " Physical Activity and
Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. US Department of Health and Human
Services, 1996
* " National Service
Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. UK Department of Health, 2000
What are the health benefits of walking?
Walking regularly acts directly on the
circulatory and musculoskeletal systems:
·
reducing the risk of
heart disease and stroke;
·
lowering blood
pressure;
·
by lowering blood
cholesterol levels;
·
by increasing bone
density, which prevents osteoporosis;
·
by reducing the
negative consequences of osteoarthritis;
·
by relieving back
pain.
Regular walking also improves overall health
and longevity. According to the report of the Director of the United
States Department of Health, walkers are living longer and they have a better
quality of life.
Are there other benefits of walking?
Improved
physical condition
Regular walking means walking daily, or at
least a few times a week, for at least 30 minutes. Walking regularly, like
other gentle and moderate physical activities that involve the entire body, can
greatly improve your aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory function. In
addition, when you walk regularly, you reduce the risk of:
·
Fracture your leg or
hand when falling because the bones are stronger.
·
Injury yourself
because the joints have a better range of motion and the muscles are more
flexible.
Improved weight
control
Your weight reflects the balance between the
calories you take in from eating and the calories you spend in your daily
physical activities. By walking for 30 minutes, you cover a distance of
2.0-2.5 km and burn approximately 125 calories (520 kilojoules). It may
not seem like much, but if you walk five days a week for a year, you burn over
32,000 calories, which burns over 5 kg of fat. In addition, the latest
scientific findings show that walking provides even more benefits if you burn a
minimum of 2000 calories per week while walking (approximately 8 hours of
walking per week).
Improved mental
health
Walking, especially when you are walking in
good company and in a pleasant place, reduces depression and anxiety. In
addition, walkers are often good sleepers.
Improved
healing process
Slow walking is often recommended for people
with different health conditions.
At first you may only be doing short
distances, but if you persevere you can quickly increase the distance and speed
up your healing.
How to start walking?
Try to walk naturally, keeping the following
tips in mind:
It is essential to have a good posture to
enjoy all the benefits of walking:
·
Keep your head and
spine straight.
·
Be careful not to lean
forward or backward.
·
Look straight ahead,
but occasionally look at the ground for obstacles.
·
Keep the shoulders and
arms relaxed and relaxed. Let them swing naturally, without forcing them.
Breathe regularly - neither too lightly nor
too deeply.
·
Never hold your breath
or force yourself to breathe deeply.
Frequency, duration, pace and speed
·
It is best to walk
every day because the benefits are cumulative.
·
The more spaced the
walking sessions, the more the cumulative effects will be reduced. When
there are more than five days between sessions, the cumulative effect is
negligible.
·
Gentle, yet dynamic
activities (ie, activities performed while moving, such as walking) are the
most effective for healthy fat burning. However, this effect begins after
about 30 to 40 minutes.
·
The pace of walking
varies from person to person and depends on your physical condition, type of
terrain, weather conditions and your goals.
·
The speed most often
recommended is a dynamic pace which corresponds to about 90 to 110 steps per
minute, or 4 to 5 km per hour.
·
Slow down if breathing
becomes difficult; it is better to walk a little too slowly than a little
too fast.
If you are uncomfortable or in pain, stop
walking.
·
Check your shoes.
· Consult your doctor or a fitness specialist.
Do I need special shoes for walking?
Shoes are the most important piece of
equipment required for walking, but they don't need to be specialized “walking”
shoes. Any pair of shoes with which you can walk for a long time are
suitable. Here are some tips if you don't have such a pair and want to get
one:
·
Do not buy hiking
shoes unless you plan to walk on rough terrain. They can be too heavy and
lack flexibility.
·
Don't buy shoes
designed for runners. This type of shoe, balanced in the front, places the
body in a position that is slightly too leaning forward. Such a position
is suitable for running, but not for walking, as it changes the distribution of
stress on the legs and on the lower spine and can be uncomfortable.
·
The most suitable
shoes for walking are those designed specifically for walking. If you
cannot afford walking shoes, sport shoes are your second choice.
What should I look for when choosing my shoes?
Always try on the shoes at night. The
feet swell at the end of the day.
It is important to get good shoes that meet
the following characteristics:
·
Is there enough room
to wiggle the toes?
·
Does the shoe fit
properly and support the heel well?
·
Does it have a
flexible, cushioned insole to absorb shock? (Remember that many buyers
look for overly cushioned walking shoes in the hopes of decreasing the discomfort
caused by flat or hollow feet.)
·
If your feet are a
little flat, try molded arch supports that you can get at most drugstores.
·
When looking for
athletic shoes, ask a salesperson for “control” models - they have soles that
are designed to prevent the feet from turning inward. If arch supports or
athletic shoes don't help, consult a podiatrist about custom molded insoles.
·
If you have hollow
feet (pronounced arch), look for "stability" sneakers, which are more
cushioned, to help solve this problem.
·
If you're prone to
ankle sprains, wear tall athletic shoes that fit snugly around the foot and
ankle to protect against twisting.
·
If the shoes aren't
comfortable in the store, don't buy them. Walking shoes don't have to be
"broken" to be comfortable.
·
Look for shoes made of
a "breathable" material, preferably water resistant.
·
When choosing shoes,
remember that tight socks or stockings can cause toe cramps, like ill-fitting
shoes. Wrinkled or ill-fitting socks can cause blisters. We recommend
white performance socks made of fibers that do not retain
moisture. (Colored socks can cause skin allergies in some people.)
How should I take care of my shoes?
·
Use your shoes only for
walking. Wearing them for other sports can damage them.
·
Do not remove your
shoes without undoing the laces to avoid damaging the heel counter (back of the
shoe).
·
Avoid walking with wet
shoes. Wet midsoles (located between the insole and the outsole) are wet
and do not absorb shock.
·
In general, midsoles
wear out faster than outsoles. The wear of the latter, the easiest to
notice, is not a good indicator of the lifespan of the shoes.
How should I dress to walk?
It is not difficult to know what to wear for
walking when the weather conditions are ideal. In reality, you can wear
any loose, comfortable and warm enough clothing. On the other hand,
clothing becomes very important when conditions are unfavorable.
Cold winter
conditions
·
Wear layers of
clothing, preferably fabric that does not retain moisture. * Cotton, silk
or wool should not come in contact with the skin.
·
Always wear a hat -
one third of body heat is lost through the head.
·
Earmuffs and mittens
or gloves can also keep you warm.
·
Use a walking or
hiking pole when the ground is slippery, for example on icy, snowy, or wet
streets.
·
If the conditions are
really bad, walk indoors, for example in a shopping center; you can also
walk on a treadmill.
* These types of fabrics, called “wicking”
fabrics, tend to retain the smell of sweat, despite “heavy”
washing. Soaking sports clothes in lye water and washing them in lukewarm
or hot water helps eliminate odors.
Hot summer
conditions
·
Wear light clothing
that provides enough coverage to reduce exposure to UV rays.
·
Wear a hat that
protects from direct sunlight.
·
Wear sunglasses to
reduce glare and damage to the eyes from UV rays (UV rays contribute to
cataracts).
·
Choose to walk in the
early morning, late afternoon, or evening.
·
Drink lots of fluids -
especially water.
Should I do warm-up exercises before I walk?
It is not clear whether the stretches that are
usually recommended before vigorous activity are beneficial. However, as a
precaution, we recommend that you start by walking slowly for 5 minutes, then
at a moderate pace and then gradually accelerate before reaching your cruising
speed. The first 5 minutes relax your muscles and help reduce the risk of
stretching and straining.
At the end of the session, to avoid getting
dizzy from suddenly stopping physical exertion, slow down for 3 to 5 minutes.
Is it good to walk or run barefoot?
Wearing shoes or boots that are comfortable,
but have a rigid arch support, can, in the long term, lead to a loss of the
natural flexibility of the foot. Indeed, the muscles which give
flexibility to the arch of the foot will weaken sooner or later because of the
fixed support of the shoes which is to immobilize them.
So, no matter how good your shoes are and how much attention you
pay to your health, it is good to go barefoot occasionally, as it gives the
feet back some of their natural flexibility. It is for this reason that we
advise you to walk barefoot at home, at the beach and wherever there is no
obvious danger to your feet.
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