Are we walking well?

Are we walking well?

Walking is one of the most natural movements we make, yet surprisingly many of us don’t walk efficiently.

Our sitting position often encourages a stooped posture which we then carry into our walking posture.

On the other hand a very upright and rigid trunk (often mistaken for good core strength) increases the effort in the muscles and joints of our low back and pelvis when walking.

Some walking patterns (gait) put more effort into a side-to-side movement than a forward one – the direction in which we actually want to go!

You may have experienced discomfort when walking round the shops.  This is usually because we take smaller, stop-start steps as we browse around the shops, when our walking muscles much prefer to be stretched out with a longer stride.

Shoes are another factor that influence the way we walk.  Shoes that give poor support cause our feet to collapse inwards which has a knock-on effect through your knee and hip joint to your back and pelvis.

Pain will affect the way you walk as you compensate on the non-painful side.

As you can see, there are many factors that influence the way we walk.  That’s why looking at gait is important to identify what factors are contributing to and maintaining symptoms such as low back, hip, knee and foot pain.

At Framework Clinics, our physiotherapists and osteopaths routinely assess gait as part of your assessment and can offer very simple advice that can make a big difference.

To make an appointment call us at any of our 3 clinics:

Bridge of Allan: 01786 831100

Tillicoultry: 01259 750960

Livingston: 01506 202526