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How to incorporate walking into your routine without injuring yourself

As the summer months rapidly approach, it is time to get out and exercise. This is the recipe for improving your overall health. Walking is the easiest and most effective way to exercise today. All one needs is supportive and comfortable footwear and a safe place to walk.

With 26 bones, 35 joints, 19 muscles, and more than 100 ligaments in each foot, this marvelous machine we call our feet takes a tremendous amount beating over a lifetime. If we are nice to them, they will allow us to walk about 7,500 steps per day and if you live to be over 80 years old, that would be approximately 216,262,500 steps in your lifetime or over 115, 000 miles. However, to allow you to walk pain free trying to avoid common soft tissue problems such as plantar fasciitis, arch cramps, heel spurs and shin splints in your foot and lower legs is necessary.

Benefits of Walking

1. It improves your circulatory system, veins, arteries, and lymphatic drainage and improves heart health.

Since there are several surfaces available to walk on, keep in mind that some are better than others. The beach, hard dirt pathways, grass, synthetic walking tracks, asphalt, and sidewalks are your options. The less impact load and stress your body will have to deal with from these surfaces the happier your body will be. If possible, always opt for the softer surface’s ones first. When walking on the beach barefoot or with footwear be aware not to walk at the shoreline unless it is flat and not angled. Walking at an angle can cause hip and back discomfort because one leg will be higher than the other due to the slant that is created at the shoreline. A tip is to walk back the same way that you started to balance your body bio-mechanics out. Walking in the soft sand is a great workout because of the resistance it creates and its flat.

2. Strengthens your bones and slows down bone loss, especially if you have osteoporosis issues.

I always recommend walking for at least 30-45 minutes on harder surfaces such as synthetic walking tracks, hard dirt, sidewalks, and asphalt in this case. It is my opinion wearing footwear such as running shoes or specifically designed walking shoes are always safe. They are specifically designed to absorb the stress, load, and shock your body endures with each step. Making sure you have the proper arch support in your shoes is equally important and it will aid in preventing injuries to your feet and lower legs such as plantar fasciitis and shin splints. Orthotics, whether custom made by a foot specialist or over the counter ones are also important and provide additional arch support that the footwear does not. They improve postural stability and spinal alignment allowing your feet to adapt to diverse types of walking surfaces. Having the proper foot support helps to provide a ridged lever for pushing off with each step. If they are too bulky and cause your feet to feel cramped, then remove the insole that comes with the shoe and just use the arch support. Make sure you do not lace your shoes too tightly for it may cause numbness, tingling or redness on the top of your foot. The front part of the shoe should be flexible to allow your foot to flex at the ball of your foot. If the shoe fits wear it, too small will cause cramps in your toes and arches, toenail problems as well as corns on the top of your toes. Too big allows your foot to move too much in the shoe causing blisters, calluses, and the bottoms of your feet to burn due to increased friction.

3. Brisk walking suppresses your appetite, burns off body fat, relieves anxiety, depression, work burnout, allows you to think more clearly and improves your sleep quality.

I always recommend that you stretch before and after you walk. In every physical activity you perform such as walking or running, your muscles are under more stress than what you do normally during your daily routine. Stretching your upper and lower leg muscles lengthens and loosens them, so that when you begin your workout, they are less likely to be injured.

I suggest doing 5 repetitions of each stretch and holding the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds and a maximum of 30 seconds. Stretch each muscle group in your thigh, both the hamstrings and quadriceps. The easiest way to stretch the hamstrings is to keep your legs straight bend over and try to touch your toes. The calf, which has 2 muscle groups gastrocnemius / soleus. The calf stretch requires you to find a pole, wall, or tree before you start and push against it. To stretch both muscle groups in the calf. First place one foot in front of the other, the back foot should be firmly on the ground and the leg straight then push and hold. The second part of the stretch is to bend that knee and hold the stretch too. Once you stretch one leg switch and stretch the other. The Stretch should not be “ballistic” or “bouncy” because this will keep the muscle groups in a contracted state.

Every day you walk you will get one step closer to improving your overall health and getting a better night’s sleep.

Incorporating rest and recovery into your fitness routine can help you avoid injuries and allow you to feel your best. Getting the proper amount of sleep each day is a vitally crucial factor in staying healthy. The more rest combined with exercise and a healthy diet will impact how you perform in the workforce. Exercising regularly decreases work stress, staying pain free and getting the proper amount of sleep is the recipe for a balanced and successful lifestyle.

Who, Why and How Injuries Occur

Those who are vulnerable to upset that balance, are health-conscious active people who exercise and train regularly. There are many types of exercisers, weekend warriors, gym rats who work out for hours at the gym, competitive runners that train for 10 k’s or marathons while others play pickleball, tennis, golf, softball or walk counting their steps each day. Patients will tell me that once they hit a certain level of activity if not in shape their body fatigues and they are more prone to injuries, it is the too much, too soon, too quickly syndrome we are all vulnerable too. Regardless of what form of exercise you choose, your feet play a significant role, they are the engines that keep your body moving. So, when your feet hurt, you hurt all over, the engine shuts down, your energy changes and your normal sleep patterns are disrupted.

Injuries occur from soft tissues inability to stabilize unstable bone segments. Repetitive Stress of a specific exercise movement can cause muscle imbalances and muscle fatigue. The main contributing factors as to why injuries occur when exercising are as follows. Poor technique of your exercise routine and abnormal foot bio-mechanics in your lower extremity creates unhealthy habits which can lead to repetitive overuse injuries. Repetitive overuse syndrome is the result of gradual micro trauma due to an increase of stress on a particular body part such as your legs or feet. Structural limitations in our bodies can limit our ability to perform at a high or any level for prolonged periods of time and the body breaks down. These two factors can trigger problems leading to plantar fasciitis, muscle / tendon strains, shin splints, ankle and knee Joint pain and ligament sprains. Finally, the shoes you wear during exercise and the types of surfaces that you participate on are also major factors causing injuries. Something as simple as wearing the wrong type of footwear for a sport or the wrong size can be a major factor in answering the mystery of why” I got hurt.” Court shoes are for racket and paddle sports whereas running shoes are for runners and walkers but should not be worn while playing tennis, pickle-ball or other court sports. Wearing a shoe that is too narrow and tight in the toe box area can trigger painful ingrown toenail problems which can impact the way you walk and your sleep. Hard unyielding playing surfaces such as concrete can fatigue your muscles faster and wear you down. If you are a runner, grass, dirt, or all-weather surfaces are better shock absorbing ones giving your feet and lower legs a softer landing by reducing the impact load and stress on your body.

There are two types of injuries that active exercisers can experience. Acute which is pain with sudden onset, your “OMG, OUCH” moment. The injured area becomes inflamed quickly and often micro edema / swelling is present. Aggressive treatment will minimize your down time. I usually recommend using ice packs or ice in a zip lock bag for 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off the first few hours, over the counter topical remedies in gel or cream form that have a homeopathic remedy called arnica in it which is a natural anti-inflammatory, rest, compression and sometimes elevation. These types of injuries may require additional treatment by a medical professional if you do not see a positive change in the first 24-36 hours. Obviously, if the injured area usually resolves quickly and normal healing occurs your back exercising quickly. However, “Never wish and hope an injury will get better on its own after a day or two” if you are still experiencing constant pain. Soft tissue injuries that are not treated immediately can become chronic over time which can last for days, weeks or months.

Most injuries that exercisers experience in their lower extremity are soft tissue in nature, usually affecting the legs and feet. The common ones are plantar fasciitis and shin splints.

The treatment falls into two categories traditional and alternative. Traditional treatments would consist of cortisone injections, physical therapy, oral non-steroidal anti- inflammatory medications known as NSAID’S, custom made orthotics or over the counter arch supports and a last resort surgery. Alternative therapy options include homeopathy injections with arnica as the main anti-inflammatory which comes in oral and topical forms, stem cell therapy, prolo – therapy (proliferation therapy), acupuncture or electrical current therapy using a variety of electrical frequencies (i.e., Interferential) to increase blood flow and reduce swelling.

The reason that acute injuries become chronic is because of denial and lack of urgency to take the time to seek medical treatment. The most common excuse is “I thought it would get better on its own” or “it only hurt a little bit and I can push through it.” As we all know, “when your feet hurt everything hurts” which can disrupt normal sleep causing focus and alertness problems in the workplace.

That is the question! Whether it is better to have foot surgery on these common foot problem such as bunions, neuromas, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis or try an arch support is always a dilemma for the consumer. Most people are not running to the operating room anyway. In my opinion the only reason why you should ever consider foot surgery is when all other conservative treatments have failed. Mostly all foot problems can be helped with an arch support.

Instant arches^® is a unique arch product that will help solve many foot complaints that both men and women have. They allow the foot to function biomechanically more efficiently. The key to the success of instant arches® is where it is placed in women’s and men’s shoes. By placing the arch product in the arch area of the shoe it will support the important joints of the foot and therefore aide in slowing down bunion formation and the development of heel spurs / plantar fasciitis and neuromas. It will help eliminate joint pain in the great toe joint by increasing the space in that joint between the 1st metatarsal bone and the base of the proximal phalanx. It will also prevent the arch of the foot from collapsing and stop the jamming forces in the great toe joint.

Using Instant Arches^® arch supports when you have a heel spur or plantar fasciitis will support the arch of the foot and the joints in the mid-foot. This will ultimately prevent the pulling of the plantar fascia away from its attachment to the heel bone and reduce the chance of developing a heel spur. By wearing arch supports and preventing the plantar fascia from stretching in the heel area, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis pain can be controlled. They also lift the metatarsal bones in the foot and create space between the bones to reduce neuroma symptoms.

When your feet are more supported and your foot pain begins to disappear the likelihood of wanting foot surgery will diminish.

Always try conservative treatment first because once you have foot surgery you cannot change it back to its original state. Make smart choices and your feet will thank you.

Arch support insoles or as we say arch supports that can be attached to the insole of your shoe regardless of style to provide your foot with the extra support it needs for you to walk comfortably can make a huge difference. Most women’s shoes that are sold today are made to appeal to women who are looking for a fashion statement first and a comfort statement second. They are designed to attract women who are looking for cute, hot, sexy and not necessarily comfort or support. Women usually get an emotional hit when at a shoe store looking to buy shoes. It is either the right color, design or style that will attract them to that particular shoe. The last thing on there mind is will it be comfortable unless they are particularly looking for a walking, athletic or flat shoe. Even when shopping for sandals or flip flops the shoes have to be cute, pretty, sexy hot or something that gets their attention. Applying arch support insoles to the insole of your shoe is the first step in making that shoe more comfortable, supportive and wearable for longer periods of time. The arch support insole placed in the right spot in your shoe will prevent the arch of your foot from collapsing, help eliminate ball of the foot pain and joint pain.

Patients that come to my office complaining about pain in their feet when walking in shoes are ones who would benefit the most from an arch support insole in their shoes. I always discuss with my patients that the best arch supports are ones that are worn and not placed in a dresser drawer in their shoe closet. They should not take up a lot of room in their shoes and make the shoes too tight. Finding the right arch product that will give you pain relief, comfort and support is challenging at times but they will make a difference once you find the right ones.

Instant Arches^® arch supports are the CPR for shoes and sandals in your closet that are uncomfortable and cast aside not to be ever worn again. These are the shoes that looked great on the shelf or in the display window and even felt pretty good when trying them on at the store. The problem is once they come home with you they magically do not seem to be comfortable any more. Maybe it’s the magical carpet in the shoe department that makes you think the shoes are a perfect fit. But somehow when they come home the arch is mysteriously in the wrong place in the shoe, the arch of your foot begins to hurt, the heel counter is to wide, the toe box is to narrow and your toes are cramped. By the end of the evening you have become a cripple. Ouch!

Not all shoes can accommodate the bunions and hammer toes that exist on our feet. Therefore, often times it is a challenge to find a pair of comfortable shoes to wear for a date, business meeting or an evening out for dinner and dancing is a daunting task.

Instant arches^® arch supports brings life back to your shoes. Your old shoes become young again and your new shoes become more comfortable. It creates a supportive comfortable arch support in all footwear and sandals. It also prevents the arch of your foot from fatiguing and going into spam. With its perfectly designed unique shape, one size fits all shoe sizes and thickness, this arch product always supports your arch in the correct place.

For those of you who buy shoes a little too small because they do not have your correct shoe size and it’s a must have, instant arches cannot help. If the must have or to die for shoes is a little too big Instant Arches^® can be your savior. They can also stop your foot from slipping forward therefore preventing your toes from jamming into the toe box as well as keeping your heel back. They will prevent joint pain in the great toe joint from jamming by creating space in the joint. By adding a soft insole such as a pair of sports insoles to your shoes you will experience instant cushion and comfort along with great support.

Bringing your old favorite shoes back to life and walking in comfort are two things that are important for women who love to wear shoes. So let your shoes make the fashion statement and Instant Arches® be the CPR that makes the comfort statement and breathes new life into your shoes.