I recently went on a week-long workshop in Morocco titled, ‘Finding your Feet’. It was run by Shelagh O’Neal, one of the UK’s leading Feldenkrais practitioners. The workshop primarily explored how we use our feet to support our body, including the way we walk.
This was a good opportunity for me, as a colleague had recently told me that I was, ‘walking as if carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders’. I hadn’t really noticed as I’d been caught up with some practical challenges in my studies – my continuing professional development.
Taking my colleague’s comments on board, I decided to explore the way I was walking. I quickly realised that I had subconsciously reverted to a previous habit of movement that reflected my emotional state.
How we walk
The way we walk is often called our gait. Each person’s gait is so different that we can often recognise one another from a distance, just from the way we walk.
Some of these differences are down to body structure, size, weight, and early development. Others come from past injuries, fashion (particularly our choice of footwear), and social mores, such as the outdated idea that men shouldn’t swing their hips when they walk.
Some people appear to move in a ponderous, heavy fashion while others seem to levitate. The walk of a confident, successful person is often very different from someone who is ‘out of sorts’ or unhappy. It has a significant impact on how people relate to us.
Walking as communication
How a person walks is a form of nonverbal communication that everyone can read. All sorts of conclusion are drawn, often incorrectly, about a person from their gait.
This is a natural, emotional reaction – an evolutionary defence mechanism controlled by our limbic system. It allows us to perceive danger by evaluating someone’s personality and intentions.
If you pay attention to the variety of ways that people move, you can tell that many are not walking efficiently. How our muscular skeletal system is organised is fundamentally important for efficient walking. Yet this organisation is often inhibited.
The problem with walking
Our shoes are generally not helpful with efficient movement – most are not shaped like healthy feet. The toes are often squeezed together and modern fashion does not help. High heels in particular are poor for offering movement that is healthy and efficient.
The way the foot operates, especially the toes, is vital for effective locomotion. Our feet are the reference point through their contact with the ground. Our toes are sensitive and pick up a great deal of information about the terrain. This information is transferred through our central nervous system. We then make adjustments throughout the whole muscular skeletal system, which allows us to stay upright.
Our toes should naturally splay when placed on the ground. Shoes reduce this sensitivity and can affect balance. When your feet are on the ground, you should see a small space between each toe. If you can’t, your feet may not be functioning as well as they could.
The problem with any heel cushioning is that it changes your impact with the ground, as well as the way the body copes with its relationship with gravity. The heel, along with the knee, acts as a shock absorber. It deals with the ‘ground reaction force’.
Generally, on hard surfaces, whatever pressure we place on the ground, an equal amount of force is pushed back in nearly the opposite direction. The ground reaction force helps us stay upright. Certain shoe styles stop this happening – especially shoes with heels. Losing contact with the ground may result in feet, ankles, knees, and hip joints problems in later life.
How to walk better
Previously, I suggested an exercise where you become aware of your walking to develop awareness. We spend much of the day walking without sensing what we are doing.
I am going to suggest the same exercise again – sense your feet as they touch the ground. Feel the heel and toes. Feel the movement through your legs, up to your pelvis and then to your shoulder girdle, neck and head.
Notice what you are doing with your hands and arms. Become aware of your breathing. Don’t interfere with the movement – observe. Don’t think or over-analyse the movement – just sense it.
Now consider the following questions.
- How do I walk?
- Do I walk in a way that is efficient?
- Do I walk in a way that portrays confidence, ease and health?
- Do I walk in a way that communicates what I wish to communicate?
- How does the way I walk affect my self-image?
For the record, the week-long workshop was fantastic and I returned with a greater efficiency in movement. Essentially, I rediscovered my most effective way to walk. I feel much better as a result.
Share your thoughts
As always I am interested in hearing about other people’s experience, so do get in touch. You can also find out more about Perform Green’s approach to learning and organisational development in the workplace.
Read more on walking in The Feldenkrais Method for Executive Coaches, Managers, and Business Leaders, a book I co-wrote with Garet Newell.