Knees Hurt? These Walking Mistakes May Be Why
By Sara Butler
Walking is a great form of exercise. It keeps your cardiovascular system healthy, it's a form of exercise that nearly anyone can do, and it's relatively easy on the joints -- when you do it right, that is.
Your knees take a lot of abuse as they help you get through your day, including during your walking workout. If you've been experiencing sore knees after your walk, then there may be a few reasons why. Luckily, there are some simple changes that can be made to your walking workout that can help take the pressure off the knees and keep them healthy.
Walking Mistake No. 1: You Wear the Wrong Shoes
As your chiropractor will tell you, your choice is footwear can make a big difference in your overall health and wellness, including how you feel after you're done exercising. The wrong shoe can cause major problems with mechanics and lead to pain and discomfort. In fact, the wrong walking shoe can make any pre-existing problems you have that much worse.
So, what should you look for in the right walking shoe? That depends on the kind of walker that you are. Some people may have low arches in their feet or need more stability control due to the way their foot strikes the pavement. Having the right shoe to keep your knees in the right alignment as you step will help to keep things lined up and reduce pain. The key is to go to a specialty shoe store where your walk can be analyzed, and the right shoe fit to you. You'll notice a big difference.
Mistake No. 2: You Don't Engage Your Glutes or Hips
Walking may not seem like it, but it really should be a full-body activity. That means that as you walk, you need to be sure your hips and glutes are engaged and firing to help you push off and move. If you are not engaging these major muscle groups, then you place a lot of load on each knee as you step, which can lead to pain.
Mistake No. 3: You Walk Through the Pain
Pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. If you're experiencing pain, then you should try to find out why. A visit to the chiropractor is almost certainly in order to help find the underlying cause of the pain. You shouldn't push yourself to walk through it or you could be making it worse.
If you're having knee pain, then talk to the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic today.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in South Jordan, Utah.