Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the warmer weather and extra hours of daylight by putting on those joggers and heading outside for a walk.
In addition to improving your overall health these are some of the other benefits achieved by walking:
- It is inexpensive! No gym membership fees required here, this is an activity that almost everyone can participate in at a time and pace which suits your lifestyle best;
- Walking helps improve your posture. Many of us spend countless hours at our desk and on our mobile phones, creating issues like ‘text neck’ ;caused from the crouching position. Walking helps to strengthen the spine and maintain a natural upright position;
- The motion of walking also helps to rehydrate spinal discs. Through everyday movement, the pressure on our spinal discs causes the squeezing out of the discs water, and walking helps to allow for a higher flow of circulation, resulting in increased circulation of water to the discs;
- Continual walking helps create circulation to the spine. The increased blood flow helps bring the body into balance increasing and improving stamina and even lowering blood pressure!
- Helps increase mobility and flexibility. Being a low impact exercise, the movement of muscles help to relieve tension which can build up in the lower back area;
- Combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, walking can assist with weight loss. Through losing weight, additional pressure on the spine and muscles becomes reduced;
- A great way to get social! Why not grab some friends and create a regular walking date? Having a consistent time reserved for walking with others is a great way to stay motivated, have a laugh and get fit all at the same time.
Not only is walking a great way to get active and improve both your mental and physical wellbeing, it is also a simple way that you can look after your spinal health.
If you need a little more help to get out and moving, the Just Start Walking app is a great tool. It allows you to set reminders about going for daily walks, tracks and maps your walks, connects to Spotify and so much more. It also allows you to save your walks so you can track you progress. Use the app on your next walk by downloading it for free from the App Store or Google Play.
Your local ACA chiropractor can also provide you with advice and assistance on improving your spinal health and overall wellbeing during this time. To find your local ACA chiropractor visit findachiro.org.au
