Walking “wrong” can cause upper back pain and strain. Walking with poor body mechanics can also cause neck strain and headaches.
There are ways to walk correctly and avoid pain. Let’s talk about them!
This walking tip will help your poor upper back start to feel better. It will help you use your muscles in a way that warms and balances them instead of straining them. You know, after all, your ARMS are attached to your back and shoulders. 🙂
The proper way to swing your arms when you walk:
Thumbs up!
Just as though you are going to shake hands.
Stand up and look down. If the backs of your hands are facing forward, that means the muscles in the front of your body are short.
Those short muscles are turning your hands like that.
Now, try to hold your hands thumbs forward. That is neutral position.
We WANT to be in neutral! Neutral = no pain. 🙂
1. When you walk, swing your arms from the shoulders with your thumbs facing forward.
2. Let your arms swing freely at your sides rather than crossing in front of your body.
It may help if you think about walking with your arms in the position that a robot would use. That will use your upper body muscles in a more neutral position and they will be happier!
If you are used to using poor posture when you walk this may feel strange or even uncomfortable at first. But as your posture becomes better you will have less and less upper back muscle pain.
Walking correctly can help you get rid of your back pain naturally!
