08/17/2021 6:01 AM
Clarín.com
Good Life
Updated 08/17/2021 6:01 AM
Walking is a
simple and effective
exercise
, a way to activate the body that is within the reach of most and that has benefits for the body.
"The advantage of walking is that it is a low-impact activity that helps the joints. If we weigh more than necessary, the fact of going for a walk
does not imply risks,
" says physiotherapist Lluís Puig.
In addition, walking outdoors is one of the physical activities that involves less risk of contagion of covid.
However, there are some mistakes we make when we go out to play sports to improve our health.
1) Wear inappropriate footwear
"We cannot go out for a walk with any kind of footwear if we want to do some physical exercise. Another thing is to do walking routes so that we can breathe. If we want to exercise we must wear shoes that grip our feet well and can cushion the impact" , explains Puig.
"Now they sell a type of footwear that is more dress-friendly, but also used for sports. With this we would have enough," he adds.
Another mistake that is made is to wear new shoes for a long excursion or outing.
"The footwear
must be tried on before
so that it fits our feet. First, we can try them at home or on short trips. To walk for a few hours, we must be used to the footwear we wear."
It is best to start on flat terrain.
Photo Shutterstock.
2) A complex journey
Walking uphill, downhill or through the mountains are very different activities.
The best thing to do at the beginning is to start
walking on flat terrain
and increase the difficulty.
"Starting with a difficult route through the mountains can have serious consequences," says Puig.
It is true that walking on land is easier than on asphalt -because of the impact on the joints-, but it is better to start first on the street and on flat paths.
3) Start with too high an intensity
"You have to start walking with a low intensity," says Puig.
What does this mean?
One step per second
.
"With this intensity you are not going to walk, but you do exercise of a certain intensity," he says.
4) Long periods
Little by little, we must increase the time we do physical activity, starting with short periods.
"It is useful to wear a watch that marks the pulsations. Being monitored can help us", considers the specialist.
A good goal would be to walk for 30 minutes at a medium intensity, but you have to go gradually, so you can start with periods of 15 minutes.
However, the time will depend a lot on the age, pathologies and physical form of each person.
We can go to
60 or 70% of our maximum intensity
(maximum heart rate).
5) Being ashamed to carry Nordic walking poles
Nordic walking poles can help us walk better, even if we go through the city.
There are people who are ashamed to carry walking sticks, but these sticks are no longer only used for balance, but also for not supporting all the weight on one leg, if we have a pathology or a specific problem.
Do not ignore the pain.
Photo Shutterstock.
6) Skip the physical pain
If we walk regularly and have discomfort, we have to get a medical check-up.
"It can be as simple as the podiatrist
recommending insoles to us
. We must differentiate between discomfort when starting to do activity, which are normal when we start the body, and what is a pain that limits us from being able to walk , that yes that would be necessary to consult with a specialist ", explains Puig.
7) not hydrate
When it is cold it seems that we forget about hydration because we do not perspire as much and we believe that it is not necessary to drink water.
"However, as a general rule, we have to
drink 1.5 liters of water a day
. When there are races, the refreshments are every five kilometers; walking can be done in half an hour," says Puig.
8) Thinking that you are fit to walk because you did sports for a while
The people most at risk of injury are those who perhaps think that as they were 20 years old, they were climbing a mountain, now they can also do it.
"
The most dangerous people are those who had a level
and now they still think that they are still in shape," says the physiotherapist.
So remember: no matter how much you have done competitive sports, if that was 25 years ago, watch out!
RAC1 / The Vanguard
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