Walking Shouldn’t Hurt: How PT Can Help You Walk Longer, Quicker, Stronger, and Pain-Free
You’ve probably heard that walking is good for your health, but did you know that walking faster may even help you live longer?
Research shows that people who walk at a faster pace tend to live longer and have better heart and brain health. Walking is one of the simplest ways to stay strong and independent as we age. But what happens when walking hurts?
Many women go through times in life when walking becomes hard or painful, especially during major body changes like:
- Pregnancy or postpartum recovery
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Surgery or medical procedures
- Illness or fatigue from long-term health conditions
- Muscle or joint pain in the hips, knees, feet, or back
Finding the Solution for Your Walking Pain
Even something simple like poor-fitting shoes can cause pain and make walking feel harder than it should.
As women’s health physical therapists, we’re here to help you move without pain, throughout every stage of life! If walking is uncomfortable or feels unsteady, we can assess your whole body to figure out why. Is it weak glutes? Tight hip flexors? Poor core control? Limited single-leg stability? We take a full-body approach to understand what’s going on and build a plan that works for you.
6 Solutions for Pain-Free Walking That Breathe. PTW May Include in Your Care
Dry Needling
To release tight or overworked muscles.
Gait Assessment and Training
To improve how your body moves with each step.
Shoe Type Recommendations
To help support your feet and improve comfort.
Strength and Balance Training
Especially for your hips, feet, and core.
Pelvic Floor Support Strategies
If prolapse or postpartum weakness is limiting you.
Post-Surgical Rehab
To rebuild strength and confidence after procedures.
Breathe. PTW Supports Women in Living a Pain-Free Lifestyle
If you think about it, walking involves standing on one leg over and over again. Because of this, we can help you build the strength and control to tolerate that single-leg support without pain (and at a quicker speed).
You don’t need to “just live with it” or wait for it to get worse. Pain with walking is not just a normal part of aging, motherhood, or recovery. It’s a sign that your body needs support, and that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Let’s get you walking comfortably, confidently, and maybe even a little faster! Because the better you walk, the better you feel, and the longer you can keep doing the things you love.
If walking doesn’t feel good right now, let’s fix that together.
References:
- Yates T, et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(10):e1913301
- Stamatakis E, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(12):761–768
Breathe. is unique! Private, personalized care that celebrates client victories, big and small. We believe all women deserve to live energetic, vibrant and active lives and it’s our mission to be a partner in achieving that, by specializing in dry needling, DRA, pants peeing, pregnancy/postpartum pain and recovery, pelvic floor dysfunction, headaches, back pain and other orthopedic concerns.
Appointments available in West Des Moines and Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area. www.breatheptw.com