In a recent TIME magazine article, reporter Angela Haupt highlights how walking correctly, with the right pace, posture, stride, and footwear, can maximize its health benefits and minimize risks. Physical therapist and author Milica McDowell, cardiologist and founder of Walk with a Doc Dr. David Sabgir, and biomechanist Katy Bowman, author of Rethink Your Position, walked TIME through the small missteps that quietly cut into the benefits of walking.
McDowell told Haupt that pace, posture, stride, and footwear all shape what you get out of the activity. The payoff for getting it right is real: research suggests that walking roughly 8,700 steps a day cuts the risk of dying from any cause by 60 percent compared with 2,000 steps a day, and a study of more than 110,000 people linked about 7,100 steps a day to a 51 percent lower risk of heart disease.The ten mistakes the experts flag:
- Thinking walking “doesn’t count”: Sabgir says walking matches running, biking, or swimming for benefits, just over a longer span. Consistency, not length, is what matters.
- Walking too slowly: Walking speed is now called the “sixth vital sign,” and slower gait is tied to higher dementia risk. Around 100 steps per minute is average, with the bigger gains kicking in at 120 to 130.
- Holding your phone while you walk: Looking down wrecks posture, blocks the mental break, and pulls attention from the path ahead.
- Leaning forward from the torso: Bowman blames hours of sitting, which leaves the body hinged forward. A wall reset (butt, head, and shoulders against the wall) helps reset upright.
- Not pushing off with your glutes: Most people fall into each step instead of pushing off. Bowman’s cue is to “put your walk behind you,” like rowing a boat.
- Letting your arms hang or clasping them behind your back: That blocks safe falling and stops the torso rotation that powers efficient walking. McDowell suggests a slightly bigger, faster swing than feels natural.
- Not picking up your feet: Shuffling or heel-dragging means the heel-to-toe sequence is collapsing, raising trip risk and joint strain.
- Wearing the wrong shoes: A 2018 study found over 60 percent of adults wear the wrong size. McDowell prefers a wide toe box, low heel-to-toe drop, and less cushion, and reminds readers to replace shoes every 300 to 400 miles.
- Ignoring your toes: Big-toe flexion strength predicts balance and fall risk. McDowell suggests “toe yoga” and a credit-card press test to spot weakness.
- Always walking the same route at the same speed on flat ground: Bowman recommends varying terrain, pace, and direction, since novelty keeps both body and brain engaged.
The takeaway is that walking rewards small adjustments. Quicker arm swings, an upright frame, sensible shoes, stronger toes, and a bit of variety turn a daily habit into a quietly powerful health tool.
Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using AI writing tools as part of my AI Explorations process. For more information, please refer to the original article listed below.