How to Walk Like a Very Old Person

Of course you don't really want to walk like an old person. What may surprise you is that the impression of age starts long before you get close enough to a person to see a wrinkle. A person's gait and posture conveys their strength, balance, and flexibility.

Walking is propulsion. As toddlers we all start with a stiff-legged stance and leaning forwards to create motion. I call this "The Leaning Tower Stride". Once you're past the age of three, this stride will only make you look old.

I see variations of the Leaning Tower Stride constantly in my Footform Performance clinic in Bend, Oregon. This stride uses fewer joints: the hip and toe (metatarsal) joints -- therefore a person with a injury or ache may default to this style of movement. The hip is used as a hinge joint instead of as a ball and socket. The forward momentum of the stride is created by jutting the neck and shoulders forward. This brings the top of the body in front of the feet creating a "fall" where each leg "catches up" with the rest of the body.

The result of this bio-mechanical movement is that the body is on the edge of losing balance constantly and the hip and toe joints get undue stress. All sorts of problems come with too much stress on joints.

The solution is a balanced stride. The body is in an athletic position with the knees slightly bent. Pretend you are receiving a tennis serve or flexing before a golf swing. As you go through your daily activity here are the things to keep in mind for healthy movement:

• Bend your knees and point your feet straight ahead as you walk.
• Focus on the back foot in the stride staying on the ground as long as possible and pushing you off from behind.
  
• Do a few practice hula dance movements to loosen the hips.
• Keep your abs toned (Keep your stomach muscles firm, pulling inwards towards the spine.)
• Wobble your head and shoulders loosely to feel the center of the joints. (This takes practice - a mirror and a coach helps here).
  

When you're ready for some one-on-one training, call Footform Performance and schedule an appointment. We offer stance and gait training appointments, including a private walking lesson at my clinic in Bend, Oregon
www.Footform.com 541-389-4547