walking; scarborough; Pro-Am Sports Injury Clinic

Walking the next best thing to running

Walking is an underrated form of exercise it improves health, fitness, and can help to keep away back pain among many other benefits. For many of us running may not be practical, some may be reaching an age where running takes too much energy or is causing to many injuries. When runners get to this stage it can be very depressing but it doesn't have to be you can easily change to walking and still have that competitiveness.

In my clinic i have found out about challenge walks, one of my clients participated in a 62 mile walking challenge it took her 28 hours, okay so this may be an extreme but walking is great for fitness, its low impact and you get to see the scenery around you. Go to http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ to find out more about challenge walks. for walks in and around Scarborough go to http://www.thisisscarborough.org/entertainment/Scarborough-Walks_and_Routes.asp or http://www.walkinginyorkshire.co.uk/scarborough.htm Scarborough Ramblers meet most weekends here is the programme http://www.ramblers.co.uk/programmes/online.php?group=ER05

To start out in walking the same applies as if you were going to start running, start off slowly and build up distance and speed gently. You will need a good pair of walking boots, and layer up clothing. Walking allows you to take a ruck sack to put in essentials like first aid kit, waterproofs, food and drink, map etc. You may want to find a local walking group to start to build up confidence and find routes to walk.

benefits of walking

Walking is good for your heart and lungs, improving cardiovascular fitness. Most of the work is done by the muscles of the lower body, and it’s a weight-bearing activity, so it can help improve bone density. At the same time, it’s low impact, so it won’t strain your joints.

The beauty of walking is that it can be fitted into your daily routine. It’s free, saves on petrol or bus fares and is better for the planet. Half of all journeys in the UK are under two miles.

The distance covered is what matters, not the time. If you walk faster you will burn calories at a faster rate but you’ll arrive quicker. Your size, stride and speed will affect how many calories your burn in 10,000 steps. For an 11 stone woman walking at a fairly brisk pace of 3.5 miles an hour, it would take around 90 minutes and burn more than 400 calories.

Latest scientific evidence shows that walking one mile in 15 minutes burns about the same number of calories as running a mile in eight and a half minutes. And the calories you can lose soon add up if you walk an extra hour a day. Of course, you have to watch your diet too: walking for 15 minutes isn’t a licence to eat whatever you like.

Walking will also increase your muscle tone, boost metabolism, ease stress, raise energy levels and improve sleep, which combined can also help you lose weight.

Regular walking can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. It can help you to deal with anxiety and stress, and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. New research from studies in Britain shows that anyone can turn back the clock three years by getting some exercise, like taking the stairs instead of the lift

Walking doesn’t need to feel like exercise. It can just be part of your daily routine. You could stop driving to the local shops and walk there instead. If you use the bus or tube, get off one stop early and walk. Or take a walk in your lunch hour: half an hour’s walk after a meal cuts the amount of fat your body stores by using it to fuel your exercise. And throw away the remote control: your couch potato days are over.

Getting Started

For beginners who are concerned about their motivation or ability to walk far, I recommend the "five minutes out, five minutes back" plan. Just like it sounds, you walk out for five minutes, turn around, and walk back. If you feel ambitious, you can start with 10 minutes out, 10 minutes back, and off you go about your day! Increase by two to three minutes per week and before you know it you'll be up to 30 minutes. It sounds too simple to be true, but this is a realistic and achievable way to get started, and if you follow it, you'll be walking plenty before you know it. You want to try and get 30 minutes in each day but it doesn't have to be in one go you could split it throughout the day.

The technique of walking

Legwork

1. A common mistake for beginners when trying to walk fast is lengthening the stride (overstriding). Overstriding is biomechanically inefficient and can slow you down. It will burn more calories because it's inefficient (which might be a good thing), but you may burn fewer calories overall because you don't walk as far due to fatigue.

2. Instead of overstriding to walk faster, concentrate on a powerful push off while the front foot lands closer to the body. This is what elite walkers do.

Footwork

1. Walk heel to toe and not flatfooted to increase speed.

2. Contact the ground with your heel.

3. Roll the foot forward over the center of your foot.

4. Push off with your toes.

Hips

1. Rotate your hips forward and backward as you walk.

2. Your waist should twist. Racewalkers can look funny because of the hip rotation but restricted hip movement decreases your speed.

Torso

1. Keep your torso upright. Leaning forward or back will slow you down.

Arm work

1. Keep your elbows at 90 degrees.

2. Keep your hands relaxed.

3. Swing your arms forward and back and keep them close to your body. Your hands should not cross the midline of your body to maintain efficiency.

4. Speed up your arm swing to increase your speed and your legs will follow! This really works!

Head, neck, and shoulders

1. Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Head should be upright, eyes looking forward.

Shoe shopping basics for everyone

Here are some tips that everyone should follow when buying walking shoes:

1. The sole of a walking shoe should be flexible with more bend in the toe than a running shoe. You will be more likely to get blisters if the shoe is too stiff. Make sure you can bend and twist the toe area of your walking shoe.

2. Breathable shoes are more comfortable. Mesh fabrics are better than leather, and they're lighter, too.

3. Shoes should always feel comfortable right away—there's no "breaking in" period. Don't buy shoes if seams or stitching can be felt. This can cause blisters, calluses or other injuries.

4. Feet swell during the day so get fitted for walking shoes at the end of the day when your foot is its largest.

5. Wear the socks you normally wear when walking. Synthetic socks made of polypropylene or other synthetics are better than cotton because they don't compress, they dry quickly, they wick moisture away from the foot, they prevent blisters, and the heel is padded. Ask at your shoe store for walking socks.

6. Allow one-half inch between the end of your longest toe and the shoe's end, with wiggle room for all toes.

7. The shoe should be as wide as possible across the forefoot without allowing heel slippage. Experiment with the lacing to get a proper fit if necessary.

8. Always try on both shoes before making purchase. Buy the larger size if one foot is larger than the other.

9. Replace your walking shoes when they no longer support your feet. You'll know your current shoe is worn down if you take them to the shoe store and feel the difference when you compare them to a new pair.

10. Find a reputable shoe store in your area to buy your shoes