You can’t beat a walk for an easy, gentle form of exercise. But even the gentlest form of exercise can cause problems. A pain in your toe, heel, or calf can mean different things.
Does walking leave you with a pain in your lower back? You may be experiencing lumbar strain. Walking may not have caused the problem, but it can exacerbate an existing back strain. Protect your back by NOT leaning forward when you’re walking — especially if you are walking quickly or headed uphill. Keep your trunk strong and steady by using those abdominal muscles. Suck in your belly while you walk, like you were trying to fit into a tight pair of jeans.
If you are feeling stiffness or soreness in your shins, you may be suffering from shin splints. Did you know that your shins bear as much as six times your body weight when you walk? Walking too much without building up your muscles can leave your shins screaming. Tackling too many hills can be painful for your shins, too. Severe pain in the shin could be a sign of a stress fracture! If shin splints are your problem, cut back on the walking for a few weeks and give yourself time to heal. When you do start walking again, start slow and with short distances on even ground.
Walking can cause soreness on the outside of the hips — often caused by bursitis. The sacs of fluid that cushion your hip joints can become sore and inflamed under stress. Switch to a non-weight bearing activity like cycling or swimming for a few weeks and give yourself time to heal. And when you are ready to walk again, start slow and easy.
A lot of walking pains can be avoided by starting slowly. Walking isn’t a difficult exercise, but a little pain can become a serious problem if you push yourself too hard too soon. Start off with just ten or twenty minutes of walking at a time on flat ground. Increase your walking time by five or ten percent every week until you can manage the time and distance you dream of.