Stretching After Walking Exercises

As someone who loves taking long walks, I've often found myself dealing with aches and pains afterward. If you've ever come back from a walk thinking, "Oh my knees, my hips, my lower back hurts," you're not alone. Today, I want to share some invaluable stretching exercises that have helped me immensely.

There are three key areas of the body that often need attention after walking: the calves, hamstrings, and hip flexors. I've discovered that focusing on these areas can make a world of difference in how I feel post-walk. As the expert in the transcript notes, "you can also do these before walking to loosen up those areas so that your body feels even better while you go for your walk."

Let's start with the calf stretch. This one requires a pile of books - the thicker the pile, the more intense the stretch. The key is to "bring the ball of your foot on top of this pile of books." It's crucial to position your foot correctly: "We don't want to bring the toes up there, we don't want to bring the arch up there like this, it should be the ball of the foot right underneath the toes."

Once you're in position, the expert advises to "straighten this leg and slowly walk this other leg forward." The goal is to bring your hips forward over your toes, which intensifies the stretch in your calf. Remember to breathe: "Take a big belly breath in, as we exhale we try to bring our hips more forward." Hold this stretch for about 60 seconds on each leg.

Next up is the hip flexor stretch, which I've found particularly helpful for easing lower back pain. This stretch can be done standing or kneeling. The expert explains, "You're going to take one foot forward, one foot back like this into like a small lunge position." The key here is to keep your hips facing forward and to "tuck the tailbone under and as you do this... you'll feel a stretch coming through the hip flexor right here on this back leg."

If you're looking for a deeper stretch, try the kneeling version. Make sure to put something soft under your knee to avoid discomfort. The expert advises, "Hips go straight forward, tailbone tucks under, and then we start to drop our hips towards our front heel." This stretch can work wonders for opening up the hips, which "is going to make the lower back feel better, the knees feel better, and it's probably going to make your whole body feel a whole lot better."

The final stretch focuses on the hamstrings. For this, you'll need a towel and a comfortable surface to lie on. Place the towel over the ball of your foot, "not the arch, not the heel, over the ball of the foot right underneath the toes." Then, "straighten that bottom leg and... straighten this top leg, we're going to lift the toes to the nose."

Use your arms to pull your leg as close to your body as possible. The expert suggests, "Take a big belly breath in... exhale and try to bring your toes closer to your nose." This stretch should be held for about 60 seconds on each side. If you experience any discomfort, don't hesitate to modify the position: "If this bothers your neck, go ahead and put a pillow under your head. If this bothers your leg to straighten it, go ahead and put a pillow under your knee."

Incorporating these stretches into my post-walk routine has made a significant difference in how I feel. Not only do they help alleviate immediate discomfort, but they've also improved my overall flexibility and reduced the likelihood of pain during future walks.

In conclusion

Remember, consistency is key. Try to make these stretches a regular part of your walking routine, whether you do them before, after, or both. Your body will thank you for it. Happy walking, and even happier stretching!