6 Benefits of Walking That You Probably Weren’t Aware Of

Walking is often an underrated form of exercise. In fact, many diseases that affect people both physically and mentally can be fought off with daily walking.

Walking is often an underrated form of exercise. In fact, many diseases that affect people both physically and mentally can be fought off with daily walking. Today, Dr. Joel Segalman and Dr. Stephen Lazaroff at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC are sharing information regarding 6 health benefits to motivate you to start or continue your walking routine.

Diabetes: According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 100 million Americans suffer from diabetes. Research has shown that walking aids both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics by assisting in glucose control. Diabetes Care also published an article that pre-diabetics can reduce their risk of developing the disease by walking just 20 minutes per day
Heart Disease: This is a rather large category of disorders that affect the function of the heart. Some symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats and more. Studies have revealed that walking decreased the incidence of heart disease by 30% by engaging in 2.5 hours of walking each week.
Joint Pain: This is often a side effect of arthritis, which is an inflammation in the joint. Walking strengthens the muscles that support the joints, thereby alleviating some of the pain and pressure. Exercising your joints also protects the bone density to meet the demands of your workout.
Cancer: The American Cancer Society distributed a study that showed that there was a 14% decrease in breast cancer diagnosis for those who walked seven or more hours per week. Another study by Harvard University found that women who walked 3 - 5 hours a week were more than 50% less prone to get uterine or breast cancer.
Immune System Support: If you want fewer sick days, walking during the week for a minimum of 20 minutes will leave you with over 40% less sick days as compared to those who exercise once a week or less.

Mental Improvements: Walking not only helps with physical conditions, but with mental issues as well. The University of California revealed that changes to memory due to advanced age decreased by 17% in those participants who walked 2.5 miles or more each day. The memory improvements can be credited to exercise’s ability to help the body preserve the same brain size.

Circulatory workouts should be a part of everyone’s daily activities, but the type of the workout should be altered to meet each person’s capabilities. If you’re starting a new workout or walking routine, be sure to consult with Dr. Joel Segalman and Dr. Stephen Lazaroff at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC. You can reach our Waterbury office at (203) 755-0489 or our Newtown location at (203) 270-6724 to schedule a consultation.