Orthopedic experts say that some common walking mistakes can lead to injury. In addition, there are four indicators to determine whether your walking habits are good or not.

Whether you’re just getting from point A to point B or heading outside to decompress from the day, many of us know that walking is one of the best exercises you can do. What most of the world’s walkers don’t know is that poor technique and common walking errors can affect the musculoskeletal system.

Common walking errors can lead to problems such as pain or injury in the neck, back, shoulders, hips, and knees.

Paying attention to how you walk — and making minor corrections to your form and exercise — can go a long way in helping avoid these problems, orthopedists say. Follow these ideas so that every step you take brings you closer to all the health benefits of walking (like a healthy heart, strong bones, and a clear mind to name a few) in the long run.

The most common walking mistakes

Wearing the wrong shoes

Proper shoes help prevent overuse injuries to the foot and ankle. In general, a good walking shoe has high-quality cushioning that allows the foot to flex, and I always recommend a rubber sole.

It’s also important to replace shoes that are visibly worn: “I recommend getting a new pair of walking shoes after about 450 km of wear.

looking down

One common technique mistake people make is walking with the torso bent forward or the hip bent too much. This puts extra stress on your knees and ankles to maintain balance and results in a shuffling gait, rather than a smooth gait that allows ground reaction forces to be dissipated throughout the gait cycle.

The reason is usually simple: you’re looking at your feet instead of forward.

Overstriding

Taking longer strides may seem like an effective way to intensify your walking, but it puts more stress on your musculoskeletal system.

A long stride forces your leg to become stiffer and straighter, reducing your body’s ability to absorb force from the ground. A good gait is balanced and smooth – not awkwardly long – and should walk effortlessly.

If you’re trying to pace yourself, aim for faster strides, not longer strides.

Having bad posture

Maintaining good posture when walking is one of the most important rules for a healthy gait. Although keeping your head up (and not looking at your feet) is a good start, if you remain slouched while walking, it can put increased stress on your feet and joints and affect your balance and mobility over time.

To make your posture healthier, doctors recommend tightening your lower abdominal muscles any time you stand, walk, or exercise. By doing this, it allows the hip flexors to stretch and take pressure off the lower back. This daily routine will help improve your posture and walk great.

Not walking outside

All we care about is walking on the treadmill when the weather is cold. But when the winter snow ends, walking outside comes with a host of mental and physical benefits: Research has shown that spending time in nature reduces stress and improves mood. Mental health is associated with a lower risk of most chronic diseases.

It turns out that walking outdoors has specific benefits for your musculoskeletal system and your gait. Natural surfaces have fewer ground reaction forces (which means less stress on your body) and will also work the small balance muscles from your ankles to your torso.

Not stretching

If you have a lot of stiffness in your hips, spine, or pelvis, this may contribute to poor walking habits such as leaning forward, looking down, or slouching. Because walking is a repetitive movement, these habits will be reinforced if you don’t take a little time to open up your joints and improve your flexibility. Doctors recommend stretching your hips, calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and lower back regularly.

Overlooking muscular strength

Walking is a great, low-impact exercise to help you achieve movement goals. But since walking seems like an easy exercise, the big mistake is to do too much or change the intensity, terrain, or duration of the walk too suddenly.

To avoid injury and poor walking habits, it is important to build strength in the core muscles used in walking. Doctors recommend supplementing any walking routine with bands and body-weight exercises that focus on strengthening the deep muscles in the core, and the smaller muscles, which are important for the buttocks and legs.

Flat feet are not treated

Flat feet are relatively common, with one 2017 study indicating that about 30% of people do not have a clear arch in their feet when standing.

While flat feet may not cause problems for everyone, the condition can cause long-term problems with the mechanics of walking, such as ankle and tendon strains. If you experience any pain or discomfort while walking, seeing a specialist to prescribe orthotics (such as shoe supports) can help prevent problems from developing.

How to know if you have a healthy walk

You can do a simple self-assessment to check your gait. Consider these signs of good walking habits:

• Do you walk with your shoulders slightly back, looking forward, and with your chin high?

• Do you take a slight heel strike and approach full knee extension in mid-gait?

• Do you push with your front foot?

• Is the pressure on your foot?

Other obvious signs of poor walking habits include an abnormal wear pattern in the shoe sole or crumbling in the shoe padding. A good wear pattern is very symmetrical, showing an equal amount of wear under your heel and instep.

If you have any concerns about your walking habits, working with a physical therapist who specializes in walking can provide very helpful tips for determining proper gait, stride length, and speed.