What benefits do you receive from walking?
A. improved bone density
B. pelvic floor health
C. mental health
D. cardiovascular health
E. digestive health
F. lymphatic flow
G. post-meal glucose metabolism
H. all of the above
If you answered H, you are correct.
A note on walking in alignment:
The way you move matters. Proper biomechanics allows for optimal blood, lymphatic, and nerve flow, with minimal tissue wear and tear. Our muscles and even our bones have adapted to our daily habits, influencing how we walk, for better or for worse. Alignment is not posture. Posture is how something looks. For example, sitting up straight, by lifting the ribcage and tensing the back muscles. Alignment is how we were biomechanically designed to move relative to the rest of the body. Alignment Matters
This is a reason why I’m not in favor of weighted vests without proper alignment. Lots of influencers and online doctors are recommending weighted vests, but not mentioning alignment. So, people are placing additional strain on poorly aligned joints, which adds to muscle imbalance and joint wear and tear.
Bone density– Walking with vertical femurs loads the bones in a way that allows for maximum squish (weight bearing) to the neck of the femur (a place where osteoporosis usually occurs). If you lean forward while walking, your bones register your weight as less than your actual weight, leading to lower bone density. Of course, there are times when you may lean forward depending on the terrain or what you are doing. But 99% of the time, I see people leaning forward in a controlled fall rather than using their muscles to move them forward.
Pelvic floor– When you walk with a posterior push off (using your glutes to move you forward), you exercise the butt and pelvic floor with every step. Keep in mind that to walk with a posterior push off, you need to walk with the vertical femurs, have lateral hip strength, and have adequate leg extension.
Mental health– Has anyone ever gone for a walk and felt worse afterward? Not that I know of. Walking clears the mind, improves circulation, and can bring you into the present moment.
Cardiovascular System- When our muscles are at their ideal length, our heart doesn’t have to work as hard to force blood through tight muscles; our muscles assist in vasodilating our blood vessels so blood is pulled through. Walking increases blood flow throughout the body.
Digestion- Our spleen, liver, and stomach meridians run along our legs. When we walk after a meal, we aid the flow to these organs. If we sit with a tucked tailbone and rounded shoulders, we increase pressure in the abdominal cavity. Cramped quarters lead to bloating, gas, and constipation.
Lymph System – The lymphatic system is our primary line of defense against invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Restriction of lymph flow allows debris to accumulate, leading to acidic tissues and toxic waste buildup. The lymph system is without a pump so it relies on the musculoskeletal system to “milk” the lymph through the body. The reciprocal arm swing helps to move the lymph around the breasts. The breasts have a high concentration of lymph nodes. For the health of the breasts and the rest of the body, it is important to keep the lymphatic system flowing. Muscle movement plays a huge role in optimal lymph flow. Read my breast health post here.
Reproductive Health: Walking and other movements cause the uterus to passively move with you. “This promotes the natural and healthy mobility of the uterus. Simple inactivity, even without a structural problem, can reduce mobility and thereby predispose parts of the uterus to inflammation or other disorders.”- Dr. Jean-Pierre Barral, D.O.
Glucose balance: I make a point of going for a walk after meals. The larger muscles will use the glucose, lowering my blood sugar.
Tip: Vary the terrain you walk on for additional movement nutrients. Get off the sidewalk when you can. Walk along the parking strip, seeking stones, bark, roots, mud, and sand. Transition to a minimalist shoe so you can experience the textures beneath you. I recommend the book Whole Body Barefoot: Transitioning Well to Minimal Footwear, by Katy Bowman, a biomechanist.