Walking & Hiking

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The Top 7 Injuries from Walking Did you know that walking one mile a day burns 100 calories? This means that you can lose up ten pounds a year by walking alone, without even changing your eating habits. Walking for exercise has a surplus of benefits including weight loss, working as an antidepressant, and preventative measures for health issues (such as heart disease and diabetes). However, just like any form of exercise, injury can occur in avid walkers. That’s why it’s important to understand potential injuries you could face from walking, treatments for these injuries, and preventive measures to take. 1. Plantar Fasciitis What is Plantar Fasciitis? It’s one of the most common causes of heel pain in the foot. The plantar fascia is the connective band of tissues that run from your heel bone to your toes, supporting the arch of your foot. Learn more about Plantar Fasciitis here. How to avoid walkers get Plantar Fasciitis? It’s the plantar fascia job to absorb shock and support the arch of one’s foot. When the tension becomes overbearing, the tissue inflames and irritates the fascia causing a painful sensation in the heel. Plantar fasciitis is prevalent among walkers because the repetitive activity causes continued stress to be placed on the heel and related tissues. The condition is most common among women ages 40 and 60. You are also more likely to experience plantar fasciitis if you do exercises or activities with repetitive foot motion like running, jogging, walking, dancing, etc. Can I treat plantar fasciitis and still continue to walk? Plantar fasciitis has a variety of braces that work well for treatment, especially for walkers. Most braces offered for plantar fasciitis are for nighttime use because it is easiest to stretch the plantar fascia at night while you are not moving. Stretching the plantar fascia improves the strength and flexibility of the foot so it will be less painful to walk the next day. You can use either a rigid night splint or a soft stretch