Everybody has a different gait. While we may think our walking style rightly suits our personality, there are certain ways you must avoid.
Podiatrist and founder of STRYDA Human Movement, Thien Trinh, pinpoints a common gait that’s considered safe to practice but does more harm than good to your health.
Things to avoid while walking, according to a podiatrist
In a TikTok video, Thien Trinh highlights different styles of walking and how they can impact your posture as well as overall health.
Don’t walk like a supermodel
Walking like a supermodel is a talent, no doubt. But the expert advises against it. Crossing your midline like how people do on the runway isn’t advisable as it exerts “angular force where it doesn’t belong.”
Studies to determine the impact on angle on the knee have established that “more extended knee contact angles can increase the forces experienced by the body and therefore increase injury potential.”
‘In toe’ walking is dangerous
‘In toe’ walking, which is common among children and adults is when you turn your feet inwards. The podiatrist says: “Avoid those kinds of movements cause they rotate your knee unfavorably.
This has a similar impact on the knee like crossing your midline, by placing it in an angle that’s not favorable for the entire body.
Avoid ‘out toe’ walking
“Walking like a gangster” with your toes pointing outwards is another style Thein advises against. “It catches up to joints in your knees, your hips, and your back,” he claims.
Healthline notes, Duck-Footed or Out-Toeing is a type of “torsional deformity. It typically occurs when one of the leg’s two longest bones turn toward the outside of the leg, causing the foot to jut out.”
Don’t take short steps
Taking short steps is another walking style you may practice without realizing it. The podiatrist says this gait isn’t efficient among other things. “It means that your weight and flow movement isn’t continuous,” says Thien.
This can cause muscle tension, gait disorder, and ligament wear and tear in addition to making it difficult to support the body weight.
Lean the right way
Leaning backward while walking should be avoided; you should always lean forward, says the expert. “If you lean backward, that weight doesn’t work with you. The body weight works against you,” according to Thein.
The same goes with swinging your arms unevenly or not at all while walking which creates a lot of imbalances in your whole chain of movements. Doing any of the above for a long time will impact your body negatively when you age.
Melbourne-based Thien is the founder of STRYDA soles and footcare, created to “regain your natural barefoot functional strength and mechanics.” With over 15 years of experience, his passion lies in human movement and biomechanics.
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