Walking is one of the few win-wins we get in life. It’s easy, it feels good, it is good for you whether you walk 30 minutes in the morning or carve out a few smaller walks through the day. Anyone who says you have to be a runner to be serious about your health doesn’t realize how beneficial walking is for you.

Prevention Magazine recently put out a great infographic on the wonderful health benefits of walking (Prevention: Your Body on Walking). For instance:

• Only 75 minutes a week can add 2 years to your life, and 30-60 minutes each day can dramatically lower your risk of heart disease.
• Two hours walking a week reduces your risk of stroke by 30% and protects the brain region associated with planning and memory.
• Half an hour of walking a day can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%.
• Taking 3,500 steps a day can reduce your diabetes risk by 29%, and a full hour each day reduces your risk of obesity by half.
• 4 hours of walking each week reduces your risk of hip fractures by 43%.

As we see every day at the clinic, walking can also be especially helpful for those recovering from a sports injury, or those who want to make sure they don’t get an injury. And most of us trying to make positive changes in our health end up learning (either the easy way or the hard way), that small and consistent steps go a lot further towards improved fitness than great leaps that result in injury or burnout.

Plus, walking requires no memberships, no expensive equipment, and no training sessions. So don’t be intimidated! Baby steps can add up to tremendous gains.

Absolute Wellness Center in Eugene, OR offers chiropractic medicine, sports medicine, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, and massage therapy. If you have questions about the best ways to recover from an existing injury or how prevent a future one, give us a call at 541-484-5777.

You may also be interested in reading our related blog: Walking For Health