Walking Right

Is there really a right and wrong way to walk?
How many steps does a person take in an average day? Is there a right and wrong way to walk and stand?

These can be signs of walking and standing the wrong way:

● Pain in the arch
● Pain in the ankles
● Knee pain
● Hip pain
● Pain in the lower back area
● Bunions (a large bump on the big toe joint)

Did you know there’s a correct and incorrect way to walk, stand and squat?

Well there is. Just like a car, if your body mechanics are incorrect or out of alignment there will be wear and tear of the moving parts.

How do the muscles work together?
There are three types of muscle function. There are muscles that are the main movers of the joint, there are muscles that assist and guide and balance (synergistic muscles) and there are muscles that are stabilizers that stabilize the joints so that they are able to move in the correct directions.

At some point in a person's life, one of the muscles may fail (any of the three types) and the body will automatically shift the work to other muscles. This can be seen if you sprain your ankle, you limp and walk in a totally different pattern than you did before you sprained your ankle.

This pattern now becomes somewhat permanent because the nerves have been retrained to use the wrong kind of muscle at the wrong time. This then becomes the new way you walk even after the limp is gone the foot position will remain. In order to prevent chronic stress on the joints of the lower extremities it is necessary to retrain the nerves, rehabilitate those muscles and retrain the lower extremities to move properly.

What is the test?
A simple test would be to stand comfortably, with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Look down and if your feet are pointing outward and NOT straight ahead, you may have this condition.

How can I tell if I am doing it right?
The foot has to be straight ahead when you walk and the knee must pass directly over the second toe when you walk. You can check that by squatting to see if the knee caves in toward the middle or goes straight out over the toe.

How does Dr. Price treat this problem?
Dr. Price does a full evaluation in his office correcting the problem with muscle work and an adjustment. Then the patient works at home with the exact exercise for each muscle involved.

Additional Tips
Read the Salt and Potassium and Water tips that I have written. These also relate to healthy walking and exercising.

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