WALKING YOUR WAY PAIN-FREE!
Walking is a great form of exercise, but more than that, it is a necessity of life. When you can’t walk, even basic tasks become complicated. Getting out of bed in the morning, getting to and from work, moving your way around the office, and even spending time with family on the weekends all rely heavily on your ability to walk. When your back pain begins to interfere with your ability to move around freely, then you know it is time to start doing something about it. Conveniently, walking ismore than a goal when it comes to back pain, it could be part of the solution. Workingwith a physical therapist to develop improved strategies and techniques with your walking could help you to get back on your feet even sooner than you thought possible. What’smore, for thosewho are able towalk, getting on your feet more oftenwith targeted exercises could help you find relief from back pain even sooner than expected. Fixing your Stride When you are experiencing regular back pain—especially if you are experiencing back pain while walking—you should consider ways that you can reduce back pain by taking small steps to support your back. There are several things that you can do at home to improve your stride, which can make a significant difference when it comes to managing back pain day-to-day. Here are several ways that you can start taking care of your back with each step you take: 1. Make sure that you are wearing the right types of shoes. While the golden rule for walking is to wear sneakers, not all sneakers are created equally. You need to wear a sneaker that is going to provide you with the arch support that meets your individual needs. This may mean upgrading from your minimal support sneaker to something more athletically designed. 2. Try a custom insert in your shoe. Of course, you can’t wear sneakers all the time. When you are at the office, professional footwear matters. You may find it helpful to have custom orthotics made for your work shoes so that you can have more arch support around the clock. 3. Work on improving your posture. If you are slouching when you walk, then that may be impacting the way that your back feels. Take a few minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon to stretch your back, and then make a point of keeping your shoulders square and your back straight as you walk. Simply standing tall may alleviate some of your back pain. Another way that walking can help alleviate back pain is by encouragingweight loss. Being overweight puts added pressure on your back, and this can contribute to increased back pain. Working with a physical therapist to improve your walking technique can help you to overcome back pain one step at a time.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker