Rediscover The Joy Of Walking: A Healthy Gait Is A Healthy Body

As I gain experience as an Alignment Therapist at BodyFix Method™ New York, I’ve become aware of the many common traits among my clients as well their varying motivations for seeking help with their alignment. Naturally, most of the people who arrive at BodyFix Method™ are in pain. For them, surgery, physical therapy, and cortisone shots have been a temporary fix, at best. They are in search of a long-term solution for their pain and BodyFix is the last house on the block. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing so many of these clients climb their way out of chronic pain and make a full recovery. Their transformation is inspiring.

 

A handful are motivated to address their alignment issues because of a perceived limitation in their preferred sport or movement practice. They sense that a decline in their tennis game or a lack of capability in a yoga pose could indicate a muscular or movement dysfunction. They want to achieve growth in their physical practice and dissolve any movement patterns or habits that limit that growth. These clients are a joy in that they can recognize the specificity and clarity of the work we do at BodyFix. Their bodies hold so much intelligence that they are sensitive to the impact of our therapeutic exercises and manual techniques. These highly tuned clients can easily apply the lessons learned in their sessions with us.

 

An even smaller subset of our client base is neither driven by pain or athletics, but recognizes the value in preventative measures. They are the uncommon few who believe that good posture holds the key to long-term health and easy movement. These forward thinking individuals are a rare treat to work with, and I admire their foresight. Whether it’s planning a vacation, planning for retirement, or mapping their long-term postural health, these people have a leg up on those of us (myself included!) who typically wait until the situation is dire before taking action.

 

However, despite the range in motivation, I’ve yet to work with a client who comes to BodyFix because she is eager to address her way of walking. And still, that is exactly where most of us need the most help. Whether it’s a left leg that drags, an inability to pronate, duck feet, or a lack of swing in the arms or ribs, every client I’ve seen at BodyFix has been in need of a gait pattern overhaul.

 

Most of us learn to walk from our parents. In the same way that we adopt regionalisms and speech patterns from our family, we learn to move like the ones we are closest to. The next time you’re people watching, see if you can observe how many mother-daughter duos are walking together. You’ll notice a similarity in gait with many of these pairs. Quite often, their walks are identical! This would be endearing if we weren’t unknowingly passing on so many bad habits. We’ve been taught to walk poorly by others who, themselves, learned to walk poorly. Added to a culture of sitting for long hours, endless iPhone gazing, and fitness in lieu of movement, it’s nearly a guarantee that walking will be painful at some point. As a result, the impulse for many is to walk less. At BodyFix, we choose to teach our clients to walk better. That way, they can walk more.

 

A healthy walk is energizing and without pain. This can be achieved at any age and under almost all conditions. But learning how to walk can be humbling. When I first began to examine my own gait, I became aware of the many troubling patterns that were disturbing my alignment. I was walking with my toes out and knees in, with a short stride and no movement in my ribs, and with my arms glued to my sides and my head forward and down. No wonder walking had become tiresome!

 

Learning how to walk wasn’t on my radar, but after I took to heart the lessons learned at BodyFix, I started to feel my body shift. There was no more nagging pain in my lower back. My neck and shoulders didn’t hurt at the end of the day. Running became easier, and my yoga practice felt more fluid. Even the typical New York City schlep with heavy bags and long city blocks didn’t do me in. Walking became not just a mode of transportation but also a real pleasure.

 

Join us Saturday, November 21 for our Balance as We Age Workshop. From 10am to 12pm, you’ll learn helpful exercises and functional movement that will reconnect you with the pleasure of walking. You might come in with pain or a troubled gait, but you’ll stride out feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy a weekend of walking. Hope to see you there!