Why Walking Might Be Better Than Running

• Author: Jeffrey Simmons
• Posted: September 28, 2021

It’s very hard to get medical professionals to agree on anything. People have different areas of focus in their respective disciplines, always working on some type of hypothesis or solving some problem, and very rarely does the medical and scientific community come together to agree on something. Though for the past few generations, most in this community have certainly agreed that exercise will help improve individual wellness and lead to fewer medical complications and help people live healthier and longer lives. Homo sapiens evolved to move around. The reason we get fat is that our body creates energy stores. These stores are made to be burned as fuel; people were made to move. The problem, however, is that far fewer people are moving than they used to, especially during a time of a global pandemic. Well, if you’re looking for some good exercise, a lot of medical professionals agree that you should be out there walking.

In all likelihood, claim some medical experts, walking may even be better than running. Before we get into the legitimate reasons why this may be the case, keep in mind here that walking is something very natural for everyone. Even sedentary people are walking back and forth to the kitchen, bathroom, to get their mail, to go shopping, etc. So it’s not as if people actually have to go out of their way to walk, whereas running may be a different story. Walking is natural and normal, something we all do. And this also means that it’s something that we all have a chance to do much more of in order to improve our general wellness.

More Opportunities

That leads us right into our first reason that walking may be better than running, due to the fact that you have many more opportunities. Sure, you can run out to get your mail, or run through your house to wash your dishes. Though nobody wants to trip and fall; this all seems pointless. When people want to run, they wear special clothing and find specific places to do it. Running is not only a special activity for most but one that must be planned. Whereas we can walk just about anywhere for anything. When you go shopping, don’t just go get what you need. Explore the store and go up and down the aisles. Walk the steps instead of taking the elevator. Park further away from places and walk an extra distance.

There are many more opportunities you can take here to ensure that you’re getting a lot more walking in. If you’re focused on running, this might not be the case. Running through the grocery store like it’s a game show might get you thrown out.

Easier On the Joints

Running is also much more of a high-impact activity, especially on your joints. If you’re older or heavier, running can actually lead to injuries. Even in healthier people, they often find that they need specialized shoes or to run on specific surfaces, or else they end up in a lot of pain. Every step you take when running brings your entire weight down on your ankle and knee joints, and this can be too strenuous for a lot of people, thus turning them away from running.

Walking is much gentler on the body and thus far easier to accomplish. If more people just focused on walking, they could boost their wellness in no time at all.

Can Walk Much Farther

There’s also the fact that a person can usually walk a lot farther than they run. Running, as mentioned above, is a high-impact activity, and people can get very winded. Even if you’re not necessarily out of shape or a heavier person, running can leave you gasping for your breath. This can tire a person out very quickly. So, what ends up happening a lot of the time is that a person runs for just a little bit then gets too tired and winded so called it quits. Though if you were just to walk instead of run, you can walk an exponentially longer time and never end up feeling winded or tired. You’re burning more calories and doing more to boost your wellness.

If you really want to focus on your wellness, make time to walk more and get out there and get you some extra steps. Your body will thank you for it.

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