Walking is one of the most natural, and inexpensive exercises to maintain your health. It improves cardiovascular fitness and can burn up to300 calories per hour. Walking can be done almost everywhere. It helps control a wide range of health problems including obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension, and is often recommended as a part of medical rehabilitation for various conditions.
Walking is beneficial as it helps:
- Strengthen your heart and lungs and improve circulation
- Prevent heart attacks and strokes
- Reduce obesity and high blood pressure
- Boost your metabolic rate
- Favorably alter your cholesterol
- Improve muscle tone in your legs and abdomen
- Reduce stress and tension
- Reduce arthritis pain; stop bone tissue decay
Foot care and walking
Walking provides exercise for the feet keeping them in good shape. The feet act as shock absorbers while walking and also provide the propulsion to move forward with each step. Proper foot care is necessary to enjoy the various health benefits of walking.
The use of proper shoes and adequate stretching and warm-up is necessary to avoid injuries and other foot problems. Shoes should provide adequate support and clearance in the toe region. Orthotics or shoe inserts may be necessary for certain foot structures to provide adequate support. The heel should fit well in the shoe and should not slip out. When buying shoes for walking make sure you purchase them towards the evening when the feet are usually slightly swollen and enlarged from the day’s activities.
Proper foot care must be observed to avoid skin problems and infection. Thick, porous acrylic socks are recommended and the shoes and socks should be properly aired out after use. Care should be taken to properly dry your feet after bathing. Nails should be trimmed regularly and cleaned to maintain proper hygiene.
The use of powder on the feet before putting on shoes can help prevent problems caused by excessive sweating.
You can take care of minor foot injuries on your own. Rest, icing, compression, and elevation help manage most cases of foot pain from walking too much. A foot bath or massage may also be useful. Blister formation may be treated by using a sterilized needle to drain the fluid and applying an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. However, self-treatment must be avoided in case of severe injuries. If pain or any other foot condition persists, don’t hesitate to see your doctor or a foot specialist.