Providing Comfort for Every Step The Secret to Effortless, Comfortable Walking
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you would have seen that I took a spill recently in front of the Blog Cabin. This resulted in me being out of commission for the last week. I am still wearing a bandage, and as I am typing this up, I am looking at my crutches leaning against the dresser near my bed. I silently cursed myself because for tripping over a silly stepping stone because there is a trip to Nashville in the near future. And on this trip, there will be a lot of walking. So that got me thinking of ways I could make myself comfortable to be able to walk without pain in Nashville. So what could I do to make every step I take a comfortable walking step?
So you know what I did I went down the rabbit hole and started googling all the things I can do when I got to Nashville because I prefer to walk as much as I can so once we get to the city, I can just park my car at the Airbnb and not move it until it is time to make the return trip home. Plus you know walking is a great way to stay active and healthy, but it can be uncomfortable if you’re not wearing the right shoes or using the proper technique. Here are some tips that I plan to incorporate for comfortable walking:
Choose the right shoes
Look for shoes that fit well and provide good support. I had visions of the outfits I would be bringing to Nashville but since the fall, I am rethinking those outfits and I am currently looking for ones that will go with my Nikes. They are comfortable and designed for walking. Plus as added bonus, I will be putting in morton’s neuroma insoles to help relieve the stress on feet.
Practice good posture
Stand up straight, keep your shoulders relaxed, and engage your core muscles. This will help you maintain good form and prevent discomfort in your back and hips.
I am so bad at this and I am not afraid to say it. Hi, my name is Melissa and I have horrible posture. Can you feel me?
Take short steps
Avoid taking long strides, which can put extra strain on your joints. Instead, take short, comfortable steps and focus on a smooth, fluid motion.
This time this will be easy for me to do as I will be walking with my youngest Gracie. She likes to walk slowly and take in the sites. Now if her sister Maddie joins us ( which is the main reason we are going to Nashville in the first place), I will be praying she takes it slow as well. Y’all she just about killed me when I went to California to visit her last year. We literally hit the 10,000 steps mark before 2 pm every day.
Use your arms
Swing your arms naturally as you walk, keeping them relaxed and close to your body. This will help you maintain balance and reduce strain on your legs and back.
I am not sure if I will use this technique, it just depends on how full my hands are during our jaunts around the city. But I will be carrying my bag from STG as well as my backpack I bought several years ago from Jane.
Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water before and during your walk to prevent dehydration, which can cause fatigue and discomfort. This will also give me the excuse to take breaks so that I can rest my feet and my back. I actually bought a knockoff Stanley cup for just this purpose.
Stretch before and after
Warm up with some gentle stretches before you start walking, and cool down with some stretching afterward. This will help prevent soreness and stiffness.
Note to Self- REMEMBER TO DO THIS. I am so guilty of just getting up and going and forgetting to stretch which I know if I did stretch before would make a huge difference.
Take breaks
If you’re walking for a long period of time, take short breaks every hour or so to rest your feet and stretch. Plus I have found that if I walk for long periods of time, my back starts to hurt. So not only will taking breaks to give my feet a rest but my back as well.
By following these tips, I know that my trip to Nashville will be fun but also as pain-free as possible.
