Tips for Walking Efficiently and With Proper Posture

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Humans were born to move. But as societies progress, humans spend more of their time sitting than doing anything else and this negatively impacts our posture. “It is a biological imperative that we move,” says Michael Wiles, DC, MEd, dean of the chiropractic program at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minn. “But, as we sit too much, our complex pelvic system – including our abdominal and gluteal muscles – weaken, and we lean back to compensate and support our weight giving rise to the ‘beer belly’ appearance so commonly seen,” he says.

In essence, walking is just a series of steps taken by humans to catch themselves as they lean forward and fall, a process meant to be easy and natural. The human body was designed to stand with the pelvis supported firmly by the abdominal and gluteal muscles, tucked under the torso, and to walk with the body tilting forward slightly. The process is meant to be nearly effortless, but poor posture caused by the weakening of the pelvic system causes walking to be labored for many people.

As our abdominal and gluteal muscles weaken, our pelvis rotates and our torso begins to lean backward, changing our center of gravity. “To compensate for our weak abdominal and gluteals, we lean back to carry our weight,” says Dr. Wiles. “This backwards lean now causes walking to be labored because it disrupts our natural posture for walking.”

The best way to avoid poor walking posture? “Use your pelvic muscles,” says Dr. Wiles. “Stand. Walk frequently. Keep your stomach strong to support your pelvis. And, when you have to sit, use a pillow to support your back against your chair to maintain your natural spine curvature.”

Dr. Wiles offers these tips for walking efficiently:

• Relax your body;
• When possible, walk on natural, outdoor terrain. These surfaces provide more “give” when you step, unlike marble or cement;
• When walking on a surface where you can see your footprints, take the time to look at them. Look for balanced foot steps, toes slightly turned out; and
• Walk frequently and as much as possible. This will help strengthen or maintain strength in your pelvic system, which in turn helps you maintain proper walking posture.

For additional resources on nutrition, go to http://www.nwhealth.edu/nns, a Web site focusing on natural approaches to health and wellness hosted by Northwestern Health Sciences University.