gait training - walking

I had a great workout at the gym today! I "graduated" from physical therapy last week, so now that I'm somewhat on my own, I'm going to the gym three days a week.

I started with a walk on the treadmill. Treadmills are not for everyone, and may or may not be safe for you. If you've not walked on one before, or recently, have a friend or gym staffer help you on it the first time and show you how to use the controls. Always attach the pull cord (to your clothes) that stops the treadmill were you to stumble or fall!

I start the speed at 0.0 and then slowly increase until I get to a speed that feels comfortable for me, and then do the reverse when I am finished, slowly decreasing the speed down to 0.0. Today I walked at 1.2 miles per hour for about 15 minutes and made it to 0.30 miles. It is my goal to increase the distance I walk by 0.05 miles every time and slowly work up to 1 mile.

The gym also has a track that is 1/12 of a mile. But sometimes I like to walk on the treadmill because it helps me to work on my "gait". Since my hips and legs are weak, I tend to walk kind of crooked. Walking on the treadmill allows me to focus on perfecting my gait rather than focusing on getting all the way around the track a certain number of times.

If you don't have access to a treadmill or indoor track, pick destinations in your neighborhood that you want to walk to and back (always remembering you have to be able to walk back to where you started). Perhaps, consider measuring by blocks or landmarks in your neighborhood. It is even more fun (and safe) if you can find a buddy to walk with you!

When I practice walking I focus on picking my toes up with each step, and raising my legs upward rather than out to the side. It is not uncommon for those of us with chronic health problems to have trouble in these areas. The benefit to improving your gait is that it makes it easier to walk and therefore allows you to walk farther while using less energy. Who wouldn't love that? :)