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Sport Relaxing Style, Exercises, Technique and Tips

Written By Amanda Watanabe

Last Updated: Oct,02 2019

“Hey, great gait!” It’s not exactly the compliment we’re gunning for when we step out into the world each day. But maybe it should be. Excellent gait means you’re more likely to be feelin’ good. Bad gait, on the other hand, means you may be walking all wrong. As rudimentary as it may seem, improving how you walk could save you the hip ache later in life.

But how exactly do you do that? According to Tyler Wilkins, director of performance at EXOS, when you walk, there’s a series of micro-movements happening from your foot to your pelvis as your body absorbs force and then back down from your pelvis to your foot as your body produces force. If something goes wrong at your foot or ankle, it may pass the dysfunction on to your knee, and so on, increasing your risk of pain and injury. In other words, it’s like the worst chain letter ever.

The problem boils down to a lack of mobility and stability in a few key areas. “If you lack mobility and stability at the foot, knee, hip, pelvis, or spine, it causes a ripple effect that can then lead to pain and further dysfunction,” explains Wilkins. Here comes the good news. Regularly practicing mobility and stability exercises makes you less vulnerable, helping you naturally improve how you walk and reduce your injury risk.

Pronation simply refers to the natural motion of your foot and ankle when you walk or run. But it may not be so neutral if you have a movement dysfunction. You might overpronate (the ankle rolls down and in) or underpronate (putting too much emphasis on the outer edge of the foot and small toes).

As rudimentary as it may seem, improving how you walk could save you the hip ache later in life.

It’s also essential to understand the stance phase versus the swing phase. The leg with the foot on the ground? It’s in the stance phase, while the leg with the foot in the air is in the swing phase. Each leg is constantly entering in and out of these two phases as you walk. Your feet and ankles, of course, are a vital part of this process. Their position and their pronation matters.

When your lead leg begins to enter the stance phase and prepares to meet the ground, picture the angle that your foot and ankle make. That’s dorsiflexion. Dorsiflexion also happens as your back foot starts to swing forward and your hip and knee flex. As this happens, ankle mobility makes walking without pain possible by allowing a normal chain reaction to continue toward your hips and pelvis.

However, if you lack mobility and stability in your ankle, it may result in overpronation or underpronation (also known as supination), and this can result in knee pain, shin splints, ankle injuries, and plantar fasciitis — to name a few issues. You can also develop hip pain.