
Podiatrist Reveals Mistakes We Are All Making With Our Feet
Skipping the Warm-Up Wiggle
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Shoe Seduction Over Support
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Ignoring Toenail TLC
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Rampant Sock Abuse
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DIY Pedicure Perils
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Arch Enemy Heels
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Flip-Flop Fallout
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Neglecting Foot Muscles
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Overzealous Callus Removal
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Shower Shoe Shyness
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Incorrect Shoe Sizing
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Speedy Shoe Shopping
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Running Shoe Relay
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Forgotten Foot Sunscreen
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Weekend Warrior Syndrome
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Stairway Struggles
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Prolonged Pedi-Plunge
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Arch-Enemy Flats
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Ignoring Foot Pain
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Mindless Massage
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Tightening Those Laces
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Barefoot Blunders
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Neglecting Hydration
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Workout Shoe Woes
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Arch Support Overload
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Overlooking Medical Conditions
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Soggy Shoe Sin
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Stubbornness with Bunions
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Pedicure Paranoia
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Sitting For Too Long
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The biggest walking mistakes you didn't know you were making
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It's just walking, right? How hard can it be? You might think there's no right or wrong when it comes to walking, when actually, there are a ton of walking mistakes you might be making that could be negatively impacting your feet, as well as other areas of your health and lifestyle!Advertisement
Wearing the wrong footwear for different needs
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Wearing the wrong footwear for walking is amongst the biggest feet mistakes, according to podiatrists. You need to have shoes that fit properly, feel good to wear and are supportive. Even if you're going for a leisurely stroll, you need supportive shoes for the movement, so you shouldn't be out on a walk through the park in ballerina flats.Advertisement
Taking steps that are far too wide
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How wide you step is also important for avoiding pain and even injury. If you're overdoing it on the wide stance, the extra effort to land and to balance may eventually result in injuries like shin splints if you're overextending and landing too hard. Keep your steps relatively small.Advertisement
Continuing to stay on your feet when you're in pain
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For active people who like to take a walk every day, there's nothing worse than pain stopping you from achieving your potential - so likely, you soldier on through the pain. Don't! If your feet are in pain, they're trying to tell you something, such as you're going far too hard or intense with activity far too soon.Advertisement
Walking at too leisurely a pace
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This entirely depends on what your goals are, but if you're going to take a walk, you might as well have it benefit your health while you're there! If you're walking too leisurely, your heart rate isn't getting up enough to give you any real benefits. You should be walking at a moderately intense pace to reap the rewards.Advertisement
Not breaking in your new shoes
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You're excited to use your new walking shoes straight away, so you set out on a big walk - only to find they're killing your feet, you have blisters and you wish you'd never bought them. You can never know fully walking around a store how your shoes are going to fare, so take time to break them in before taking them on that first big hike!Advertisement
Not making a plan for somewhere new
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Finding new walks is exciting, but it also needs extra planning. Even if it's only somewhere local and not a big hike, you need to try and plan the route ahead of time, and how you get back home or back to your car. It's amazing how easily things can go wrong on a new walk with one simple path mistake!Advertisement
Not moving your arms the right amount
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Surprisingly, your arms are a key component to a successful walk! They act as a counterbalance to your leg movement. If you were to try and walk without moving your arms, apart from looking like a penguin you'd be able to feel the excess strain on your hips. You shouldn't be swinging your arms far too much, or too little - let the natural movement take over for you based on your speed.Advertisement
Putting too much strain on your neck and shoulders
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You can easily walk with built in tension in your shoulders without even realizing it. It's important to loosen everything up around your neck and shoulders and let your arms move naturally. If you're hunching or tensed up top, it's going to make your walk very uncomfortable by the end of it!Advertisement
Choosing music over awareness
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Going for a walk is one of the best opportunities to listen to your favorite Spotify playlist - but it's also one of the biggest mistakes you can make if you're not staying aware of your surroundings. Even if you're not in the middle of nowhere, you need to be aware of things around you like other pedestrians, traffic or any other goings on.Advertisement
Not drinking water throughout the walk
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Some people chug a load of water before they head out, go on a 30-40 minute walk, and then chug another pint of water when they get back. While this might still sound like you're effectively hydrating, it's much better to drink water consistently throughout your walk.Advertisement
Your dog is pulling ahead
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If all of your walks are dog walks, then your dog can significantly impact a healthy walk for you depending on how you're behaving. You should train a dog not to pull for many reasons, and this includes to protect yourself from injury or strain when a dog is pulling on one outstretched arm holding the leash.Advertisement
You forget about good posture
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We always focus on good posture when we're sat in a chair or eating (as we should) but it's so easy to forget about it when you're out walking! Good posture while walking is important, as you need to make sure your shoulders are back, you aren't slouched and your head is up.Advertisement
You're too flat-footed
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If you walk in a more flat-footed way, where your steps are more slapping down onto the ground rather than a rolling movement, then you could suffer some discomfort in the long run - and we don't just mean your feet. Walking flat-footed can actually have consequences for your hips and knees.Advertisement
You're pushing forward with the front leg instead of back
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When you're propelling yourself forward with every step, you have two options: the correct option, which is to push from the back leg, and the incorrect way, which is to try and push with the leg in front. Doing the latter means you're putting extra strain on your pelvis and even your back!Advertisement
You don't tense your core
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Walking really is a full body engagement, and this includes your core - which should be engaged at all times when walking. It's so easy to forget though - just like how easy it is to have your posture slump - because you consciously have to pull your stomach in and hold those muscles. But you need to do this to work those muscles and support your back.Advertisement
Your shoulders are too high
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If you usually walk a little tense around the shoulders where you're actually lifting them up a bit around the ears, this is a painful way to walk as it will have negatively consequences for your posture, neck and shoulders. The best thing to try is naturally relax your shoulders and pull them back.Advertisement
You're not being mindful of your muscles
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Any sort of walkout needs a mind-muscle connection, and the same applies to walking. Think about all the things that go into a walk: your legs, your feet, your butt, your back, your arms swinging... everything! You need to connect your mind with all muscles to use them properly with every step.Advertisement
Looking down at the floor/your phone
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It's always tempting to look down at the ground so that you can watch where you're walking - or you might be one of those glued to their phone screen as they walk - but this just means your neck is arched forward and your back isn't aligned in the way that it should be!Advertisement
Carrying a bag incorrectly
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If you're out for a proper hike then you'll likely have a comfortable backpack with even weight distribution (if you don't, that's you're first mistake!). But it's not just about hikes - if you're walking a long time with shopping bags or even a handbag over one arm, you might be causing discomfort and strain on one side of the body.Advertisement