All health care professionals can agree that walking is one of the best physical activities that you can incorporate into your regular exercise program. As for occupational therapists, they would strongly suggest that you keep moving to keep your body healthy, especially for people who spend hours sitting at their desks.
When you spend 30 minutes of your day walking four or five times a week, it can give you excellent health benefits that your body will love in the long run. Walking can help you reduce weight, lower risks of heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as keep your mental well-being in check. And since walking is a low-impact activity, the chances of getting injuries are low as compared to other forms of physical activities.
If you want to do more walking, keep reading. Here, we will share some tips from occupational therapists to help you walk better and get the most of this low impact activity. Let’s begin!
Get ready for your walks
Before walking, make sure that you’re wearing the right walking gear, such as walking or running shoes. Ideally, you want to wear lightweight, well-cushioned shoes with a wide heel to help reduce your chances of injuries like a sprain or a fall.
Besides that, since you’ll be exerting energy, you need to ready your body by hydrating. On hot days and if you’re going for long walks, make sure to take a bottle of water with you.
When your body is ready for physical activities, you’ll be able to maximize the use of your muscles and joints more, helping you get the most out of your walks and workouts.
Add some variety to your walks
One of the things that could break exercise habits is when a routine is starting to feel monotonous. And the best way to counter that is by adding variety to your walks.
You can do this by plotting out some variety in your exercise program by changing the pace, the scenery, and walk schedule. By keeping things different and adding little changes in your routine, you’ll avoid getting bored, and you’ll keep looking forward to your next walk.
Make it part of your whole physical program
When you walk, you work your legs, heart, and lungs, exactly what you need to enhance your whole body fitness program. Upgrading your workout program is important so your body can progress and get stronger.
When you do a full-body workout and carry hand weight while you walk, you’re working on strengthening your upper body. And when you incorporate lunges and sprints into your workout, you’re making your legs muscles, knees, and joints much stronger.
However, with whatever changes you’re making with your body, make sure that you seek medical advice from your doctor if you can push through with these activities.
Conclusion
If you’re easing into a new active lifestyle, you can start walking and progress into more intensive and high impact workouts after a few weeks. But you should remember that with any physical activity, you may get some injuries, and it’s best to visit a medical facility like Agile Urgent care to get the necessary treatments right away.
With proper exercise, sticking to your exercise program, and visiting your doctor regularly, you’ll get stronger, healthier, and happier in no time!
If you’re looking for a full-service, walk-in medical facility in New Jersey, check out Agile Urgent Care. We provide affordable services for injuries and illnesses for clients who need urgent medical care. Learn more about our services today!
