How to change your walking gait?

Walking is something that we’ve all been doing since before we could even remember. It’s a basic movement, and it’s so ingrained in us that often times we won’t even think about the way we’re walking until someone else points it out to us. But what if there was a better way? What if you could walk in a more efficient manner that would allow you to move faster or with less strain on your body?

In this guide, we’ll cover everything from why you might want to change your gait in the first place to specific exercises and techniques you can use to improve your stride.

What Is Walking Gait?

Before we dive into how you can change your walking gait, let’s define exactly what it is. Simply put, your walking gait refers to the way that you walk – more specifically, the motion of different parts of your body as they work together during each step.

There are four main components of gait:

  • Stance phase: This describes when one foot is actively supporting weight while the other swings through.
  • Swing phase: This describes when one leg moves forward without weight-bearing as part of its trajectory.
  • Stride length: The distance between successive heel strikes at full steps
  • Cadence (or step rate): The number of full steps per minute

Each component has its own set pattern for moving our limbs and arranging our bodies during walking.

Why Might You Want To Change Your Walking Gait?

At some point or another, most people will hit a point where their typical methods aren’t working quite right anymore. Maybe they have developed an injury due to overuse or poor alignment over time; perhaps somebody suggested they could improve their performance by optimizing their biomechanics/physiology; regardless like any routine/habit eventually something new must take its place—for better or worse.

Reasons to consider changing your walking gait include:

  • Injury prevention: High impact walking/ running can lead to joint and muscle strain over time, so finding ways of reducing the loads placed on those anatomical areas can lessen that damage in turn.
  • Performance optimization: A proper stride length/distribution could make all the difference between keeping up with everyone else and pulling ahead. For instance having longer strides will cover more ground per step while short ones result in stepping faster but less ground covered.
  • Reduced fatigue: Lastly, maintaining a stable foot placement/ getting rid of unnecessary oscillations allows for less wasted energy during long walks—fatigue sets sooner than anticipated.

Exercises To Improve Your Walking Gait

Now that we’ve covered why you might want to alter your gait let’s explore some exercises aimed at changing it!

Ankle Strengthening Drills

As ankles are used abundantly for shock absorption known as plantar flexion[+], it is important to incorporate unilateral calf raises and balance exercises in order not only help improve stability but also synergistically enhance force distribution when eventually both feet need support by strengthening common muscles such as soleus mostly made up of type 1 oxidative fibers and gastrocnemius consisting mainly of fast-twitch fibres. Here are some exercise examples:

  1. Single-Leg Calf Raise
  2. Stand close against a wall or use something sturdy until form improves.
  3. Pull abs in tight, rotate pelvis under, lift onto one leg whilst keeping opposite straight making sure weight is evenly distributed across each side avoiding ankle roll or bent knee/torso movement causing loss of alignment
  4. Standing Yoga Balancing Pose: Tree pose
  5. Begin with toes on same foot touching inner thigh gently.
  6. Extend arms outwards from chest height clasping hands or pressing palms inscribed into each other firmly, right pointing upwards then reaching apex of pose.
  7. Balance on this foot whilst maintaining a steady gaze ahead, engage the thigh muscle above heel/apply pressure down into ball/midfoot avoiding letting weight distribute outside but instead directly in-between ankles

Pelvic Tilt Drills

Secondarily after ankle strength training one may also focus on lumbar spine / pelvic alignment both dictated by hip flexors responsible for initiating gait starting with movement upwardly rotating pelvis from below which translates to swing phase:[+].

These exercises will broadly help facilitate an upright posture and prevent rolling forward:

  1. Hip Flexor Stretch++
  2. Start leaning against vertical surface or using chair to support balance if needed meanwhile maintaining straight low back:
  3. Banded Glute Bridge Variation:
    Example resistive band around knees that asks user to squeeze band during up portion with legs isolated from upper structure.

Keep in mind any pain can indicate there are overstraining muscles so it is important to monitor how you feel throughout workouts.

Efficiency Improvement Techniques

There are also a few simple tweaks you can make during each step of the walking process that could improve gait efficiency overall:

1) First off, Walking With Your Heel First: stride length/weight transfer is maximized more uniformly than other patterns such as forefoot contact(hopping).

2)Also, Make Contact With The Ground Fully Before Transferring Weight As it helps land force absorption happen closer under/between feet effectively reducing shock; once good form establishes emphasis should be focused solely maximizing smoothness/cadence rather than ground reaction forces(ie like quiet falls).

3) Lastly, Engage Arm Swinging: through oppositely directing use-of-force momentum follows suit (as directionality created due pendulum effect)

Adjusting For Structural Anomalies

In some cases, changing your walking might not require too many changes at all. Rather than entirely reformulating your stride, focus should be directed towards addressing structural misalignments that create nonphysiological gait mechanics. A competent [certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy(CCSP)] can help guide you through what exercises/therapy options best suit you.

Final Word

By understanding the basic elements of walking gait and working to make improvements based on individualized anatomical weaknesses/strengths achieved over time it is possible to improve overall function which translates into a healthier active lifestyle.

Good luck with improving your gait! Remember patience is key as accurate muscle imbalances identification., specific strength training applicability, and endurance-building protocols play pivotal roles towards this progress.

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