Walk Your Way into a Healthier Fall

As we start to get some cooler mornings and evenings in Manhattan, we at Goldsmith Podiatry want to encourage our patients to consider starting or re-starting a walking regimen. Walking has many benefits:

• Improves physical fitness

• Helps with weight loss and weight management

• Decreases stress and improves mental health

• Doesn’t require expensive equipment—just a good pair of shoes

• Can be done indoors or outside, with others or alone

New evidence suggests that walking may be just as effective as more strenuous workouts because it is so easy and low stress. Now is a great time to establish a solid walking routine before all the back-to-school craziness and other activities of the fall get into full swing. Here are some tips to get you started:

Check your walking shoes—whether you’ve been a regular walker in the past or you’re starting fresh, it’s a good idea to inspect the shoes you plan to use. Look for outward signs of wear such as tears in the uppers, cracked soles and stretched out heel counters. Press your thumb down on the cushioning on the insoles of the shoes. If it’s hard to press down and you don’t see many lines or wrinkles, it may be time to replace the shoes. Wearing worn shoes can lead to a trip and fall injury or foot pain. If you need new walking shoes, get your feet professionally measured at a store that specializes in fitness footwear.

Start smart—choose a route that is convenient—you’ll be more likely to stick with it. If you’re close to a park or other area that has nature on display, you may reap additional mental health benefits. Be sure to stretch before you begin. Choose a distance or time and a degree of difficulty that suits your current fitness level and then gradually increase the duration and intensity of your walk over time. Finally, pick specific times you plan to walk each week that are convenient and put them on your calendar like any other appointment.

Pay attention to foot pain—if you notice foot or ankle pain or other uncomfortable symptoms after you start to walk contact our Upper West Side office by calling 212-877-1002 so that our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia and Dr. Kristina Ruff can examine your feet and ankles and determine the source of your foot pain as well as the appropriate treatment.