Walking means human locomotion with the help of legs and feet. Walking is a complex task in which numerous muscles are active and interact. In the process, we move from place to place while maintaining balance.
What is walking?
Walking means human locomotion with the help of our legs and feet. Walking is a complex task in which numerous muscles are active and work together. Walking involves the movement of a number of muscles, bones and tendons. The body is in contact with the ground at every stage of the movement cycle. On average, a person walks 1.4 meters per second. In the starting position, the person stands with both feet on the ground, lifts one leg and places it alternately in front of the other. Walking is an automatism, i.e. a behavior triggered independently by the central nervous system. The flapping of wings in birds or the fin movements in fish are similar automatisms. Our ancestors learned to walk upright about five to six million years ago. About three and a half million years ago, there was at least one other human species that was equipped for life between the ground and trees by a special foot shape. The adaptation of the locomotor system of this species was advantageous for a long time and is more reminiscent of the gait of gorillas, as archaeological findings prove. At first glance, the upright gait seems to be more of a hindrance than an advancement for humans, because compared to other mammals it had rather disadvantages in terms of speed and jumping power. Nevertheless, the upright gait is the basis of today’s human existence. Although the mode of locomotion is relatively unstable and slow compared to other gaits, it requires less energy expenditure for locomotion at the same body weight.
Function and task
The upright gait allowed humans to last longer than before, even when food was scarce. Energy efficiency also allowed him to regulate body temperature by sweating and to hunt in a novel way. Thanks to the upright gait, man could now track his prey for longer periods of time, because no animal on land can cover such distances in a day as man. The energy of other animals would soon be spent or they would overheat. Often, the upright gait is considered as a decisive feature of the evolution to today’s man. In fact, this mode of locomotion is rather clumsy. The walk from the trees to the ground made the human species slower, but it was forced by climate to find new sources of food. To catch fish, for example, humans had to learn to wade through water. The evolution to an upright gait brought significant changes to the skeleton. For example, the foot as a gripping tool now became an anatomical structure with all toes pointing forward. The spine got a double-S-shape to be able to carry the body and not to tilt backwards. The pelvis also became wider to be able to hold all the intestines. Walking is the most primal and natural form of human locomotion and, from the point of view of evolutionary biology, a very efficient whole-body workout. Humans have been covering long distances on foot for thousands of years. But standing and walking properly is obviously an art that we are mastering less and less. Today, modern man spends almost seven hours sitting, with an average of eight hours of sleep on top of that. So most of the day takes place without physical activity. Walking, however, is indispensable for good health and exercises the entire body. If you walk briskly, you absorb up to ten times more oxygen than when you are sitting or lying down. At the same time, walking works almost by itself, as automatically as breathing.
Diseases and ailments
The upright posture leads anatomically with increasing age to stresses in the lower body. There is an increase in herniated discs, flat feet, varicose veins and hip joint arthrosis. The negative consequences are considerably intensified by the lack of exercise in modern industrial societies. Thanks to practical means of transportation, people walk less and less, sit too much instead, and gradually forget how to walk healthily. This not only has a considerable impact on his skeleton, but also on all organs. Even walking an extra 10 minutes a day is crucial for your health. Even a simple walk has positive effects. Walking is also an excellent way to reduce stress.The energy provided in the stressful situation is not automatically dissipated, so the body needs a balance. Activity creates this balance. Even short movements add up over the course of the day and strengthen the heart, circulation, metabolism and breathing. Walking is also a very relaxing way of getting around. Nevertheless, a daily walk reduces the risk of more than 20 diseases. Just 180 minutes of exercise a week can protect against type II diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression and several types of cancer, according to a study by the University of East Anglia near London. Walking is the ideal sport for seniors because it is hardly strenuous and requires little effort. Those who walk briskly can even expend a similar amount of energy as a slow runner. Walking also trains the sense of balance and is a very good fall prophylaxis. A walker must also pay attention to pedestrians, oncoming traffic and influences from the surroundings. Thus, walking trains the mind as well as the body and can even prevent dementia.
