When to Replace Your Walking Shoes …

Whether you are a casual walker or someone who walks each day for exercise, a comfortable, quality walking shoe can help you enjoy yourself, get more out of your workout and save your feet from wear and tear.

Do you walk every day for exercise and fitness? Or do you walk casually? Either way, you need to know when it is time to purchase a new pair of walking shoes, and the outward condition of your shoes may not tell the full story.

If you wish to continue walking in good health, and reduce the amount of wear and tear on your feet and joints, consider these important facts.

Of course, if your walking shoes look beat up and are “listing to port,” as they might say about a ship on a windy sea, it is definitely time to replace them. However, your shoes can LOOK just fine, and be exposing your joints to undue stress if they have exceeded their “road life.”

How do you know when its time for a new pair of shoes?

Most of the experts suggest you replace your shoes every 400-500 miles; sorry, running and walking shoes are not like your car tires – no 50,000 mile guarantee!

Depending on several factors .. your weight (heavier means more wear and tear), walking style (do your shoes tend to wear unevenly?) … your shoes may only be good for 3-6 months. Although they look fine, the cushioning materials may lose up to two-thirds of their protective ability after this time period.

A good bet is that you should replace them AT LEAST every year to make sure you do not create preventable impact injuries.

While fitness walking is a very safe sport, and relatively low in injuries, worn out walking shoes are a major cause of excessive impact on your ankles, knees, and hips.

So, don’t judge your shoes by just their looks.

You wouldn’t drive your car around on bald tires; don’t endanger your body with worn walking shoes!

Start your search for replacement walking shoes HERE >>

photo credit: Old Shoes

Exercising can be great fun, but we also have to attend to safety; not only in how we exercise, but also in dealing with our surroundings.

- Always let someone know where you are going; if noone else is home, leave a note

- Walk with a friend when possible; a lone walker is always more vulnerable to someone with bad intentions

- Choose to walk in daylight when you can, and well-lit streets when you can’t.

- If you need to walk in the street, wear bright colored clothing, and walk facing traffic.

- Remember that you can see cars much better than they can see YOU! Make eye contact with drivers when crossing streets.

Sometimes exercise can seem to take on a life of its own. Gym memberships, schedules, programs, regimens.

If we’re smart, we will take advantage of all the small ways we can exercise that accumulate throughout the day. Calories burned are calories burned, and it doesn’t matter if they are part of some “official” plan.

- Get in the habit of standing while you do part of your work; for example, take all phone calls standing up and walking around your office.

- Park a few blocks further from your workplace; the extra 5-10 minutes walk each way every day almost equals an exercise period!

- Walk the dog or cat. Get them into an exercise routine, too. It will help their health, and you will both enjoy the bonding time.

- Choose one activity per week to walk instead of your normal drive; a short run to the grocery store, to the corner market, etc.

Even RV’ers seem to realize there is a good reason to wear great walking shoes:

• » RV Do’s and Don’ts Learn About RVing: – Sample White Castle hamburgers when in the Midwest, fish tacos in Baja, a warm, soft pretzel in Philadelphia, and the biggest Maine lobster you can afford even if you don’t like em. Invest in an electronic awning, if you’re awning kind of people. Spend a summer volunteering at a National Park.

Once you’ve settled into a routine, you will need to find new ways to up the challenge! Try these four ways to increase the difficulty of your walk on for size ….

- Change your pace; add short intervals of faster walking; 1 minute, half a block, etc.

- Take fewer breaks; learn to keep moving even when you are a little tired.

- Add time to your walk; pick one day per week when you walk a bit further than normal

- Throw in some hills; a short hill can keep your heart rate elevated for quite a while

We’ve already looked at five great ways to stay motivated on your walking program. Here are five more great ideas to help you to keep moving, even when it isn’t easy.

- Hydrate well before, during, and after your walk; thirsty walkers quit

- Keep track of your progress on a chart

- Walk with others, or even start a walking club in your area

- Register for a fun or charitable walk so that your exercise benefits others

- Make walking a family event; couples who walk together are generally happier