What Happens When We Walk?

Let's take a closer look at this common activity.

Learning to walk as a young toddler is a huge milestone that is celebrated. This typically occurs between the 1.5 to 3yr mark. Cheers go up, clapping and squeals of delight from friends and family members abound as a child takes their first steps. As the child grows and learns to run or as I always say, “gets their feet under them”, the newness of it wears off to be replaced with worry and fear they will quite literally run into danger. The wonder of a child at being able to move of their own volition is quite fascinating. Their enthusiasm at this newfound freedom is truly precious. As the adults around this child, do we continue to encourage this type of movement in our children and wards?

As our children get older, learn and observe their world around them, our bad habits: sedentary lifestyles, become imprinted on them. They gravitate toward these habits as there are no adverse consequences...yet. There are myriad reasons why we develop sedentary lifestyles. Sometimes they are related to our jobs. If we sit at a desk all day in an office or work from home situation, we are less likely to move around afterwards. It is very easy to develop these sitting habits without even thinking about it. If there is an injury such as a muscle sprain, broken leg, or a postoperative situation such as hip replacement, knee replacement, movement can be difficult. Even though physical activity is recommended immediately post-op and within reason, people have come to believe that sitting/resting is the best way to heal.

Risks of Sedentary Life

The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle cannot be overstated. Many studies have shown(1) and corroborated(2) findings indicating increased body fat, increased risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, vessel damage not just in the heart but in the extremities), increased cancer risk, reduces insulin sensitivity, increased fatigue, increased skin sores, poor nutrition absorption.
When we engage in the simple activity of walking, we are not just exercising and burning calories. We are doing what our bodies were designed to do. We were not designed for sitting for extended periods of time. Our bodies are fully functioning with articulated extremities. There is a reason for that.

What Happens First?

When you start the activity of walking, you engage large muscles of your body such as the vastus lateralis or thigh muscle and the gluteus maximus or the buttocks. All the muscles in your thighs and buttocks are the largest muscle group of your body and therefore will burn the most calories and fuel your metabolism. As your movement increases, your body has increased need of oxygen, so you start to breathe more heavily.

Oxygenation

As you breathe deeply, oxygen is brought to your lungs, exchanged through tissues in your lungs known as alveoli. Oxygen is brought in and carbon dioxide is released. The oxygen then travels out of your lungs into your blood stream to the rest of the body.

If you have ever used a pulse oximeter, you can see the oxygen level increase in real time. Placing the oximeter on your finger, you’ll get an initial reading of 95 or 96% If you breathe in deeply and let it out slow, usually that number will go up to 99%. If you have a lung condition known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD, you may actually see a decrease. People who have moderate to severe lung disease have been known to experience detrimental effects to increased oxygen. At a certain point in the disease process, the body is no longer driven by a need for oxygen but by a need to stabilize carbon dioxide and applying extra oxygen can actually cause more harm than good.

This is only one of many reasons why it is of utmost importance that a licensed physician or practitioner oversees and guides any health regimen, remedy or exercise plan you wish to start.

As you breathe, your lungs expand and contract. This repetitive movement becomes more efficient the more it functions. As you breathe in and out, you are quite literally stretching your lungs. Over time, your lungs will be able to breathe in more and more oxygen as your body needs it. Deep breathing also burns calories and can release endorphins to help elevate mood.

Temperature Regulation

Now that the oxygen is pumping through the body via the blood vessels. The muscles are absorbing it in to help fuel their activity. Blood flow is now being forced throughout the body into every possible place via the capillaries (or very tiny blood vessels) to bring oxygen and glucose for energy to keep you moving. Your body produces sweat as your heart rate climbs. This sweat is one way your body removes toxins. This is partly why someone with an unhealthy diet can have sweat that smells funny or even stink. It primarily serves to cool your body and prevent overheating. Your body has an amazing ability to regulate itself. When exercised consistently, this regulation becomes more and more efficient. Over time, the body will be able to withstand significant periods of movement without growing tired.

Exercise the Heart

Your heart is now pumping hard. Your heart is yet another muscle that benefits from this consistent exertional activity. As the old saying goes, “Use it or lose it.” And the more you use it, the more efficient it becomes. After the heart has been utilized consistently and endurance has been pushed, the resting heart rate will become slower. It is not uncommon for someone who exercises regularly to have a heart rate in the 50s. The heart becomes stronger and doesn’t have to pump as much to deliver oxygen, glucose and nutrients. In other words, it doesn’t have to work as hard at rest when it has been exercised properly.

There was a study done in 2019(3) that looked at the result of walking in relation to cardiovascular disease. It involved over 29,000 participants of varying health statuses. It showed a statistically significant risk reduction in cardiovascular disease. This makes perfect sense as previously discussed how the heart becomes involved and its consistent physical exertion improves it’s efficiency. Which seems to be a repeating theme as you think about it.

Dealing with Muscle Cramps and Pain

One of the issues people face with exercising is muscle cramps. Muscle activity produces lactic acid. This byproduct of muscle activity is responsible for the cramps and stinging sensation one can feel with exercising. If the body is not getting enough oxygen and electrolytes, then cramps can be significantly worse. Hydration should also be a top priority, particularly when the weather is warm or hot, and humid.

The important thing to remember is that pain is your body’s alarm system. It’s telling you that something needs to be addressed. Something isn’t functioning like it needs to and you need to address it now. Whether it’s taking a moment to catch your breath and restore your oxygen level, resting the muscle, or stretching to help rid the muscle of that build up of lactic acid. Learning some basic stretches to do before, during and after walking will help your muscles function to their highest efficiency and endurance and reduce occurrence of cramping.

Joint Health

Increased muscle use also increases strength of tendons that connect muscle to the bone and ligaments that connect muscle at the joints. Increased strength to connective tissue improves posture and joint movement as well. The concept of “wear and tear” on joints is a bit inaccurate. When your body is receiving proper nutrition, hydration and exercise, it not only regulates but maintains itself. Wear and tear will typically only worsen a body affected by poor nutrition. The body produces it’s own liquid cushion between joints like the knees and shoulders. With proper nutrition, the cartilage of the joints which are also cushions for impact, will protect the joints from injury and stress.

Effects on Anxiety and Depression

Walking exercise will trigger the body to release endorphins. As with Deep Breathing exercises, walking will cause the body to release endorphins which relieve pain and elevate mood. Runner’s “high” is not a myth. Ask anyone who exercises, particularly running long distance, how they feel after a good run. Running releases more endorphins as the demand on the body is greater than with walking, however, pain relief and mood elevation can be achieved just as easily with a simple walking exercise. This is why exercise is recommended as a means to combat the mental health issues of anxiety and depression. When done correctly, there are no adverse side effects.

There was a study done in 2019(4) that looked at the result of walking in relation to cardiovascular disease. It involved over 29,000 participants of varying health statuses. It showed a statistically significant risk reduction in cardiovascular disease.

Countless studies have been done evaluating the effectiveness of exercise such as jogging or walking in relation to treatment of anxiety and depression. Of particular note, exposure to nature walks, such as through a state park or wooded area, seems to have an increased effect. A simple internet search will pull up more studies to corroborate the benefit of walking and/or exercise in relation to anxiety and depression. They are far too numerous to list here. For the sake of time, I will share their links here: (4), (5), (6), (7).

This makes perfect sense as previously discussed how the heart becomes involved and its consistent physical exertion improves it’s efficiency. Which seems to the repeating theme as you think about it.

The heart beats more and becomes more efficient.

The lungs expand more and become more efficient.

The muscles expand and contract more and become more durable.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Effects on the Gastrointestinal system

The gastrointestinal system also benefits. From your esophagus to the colon, increased blood flow throughout the body also means, increased blood flow to the GI tract. The colon is where nutrients are absorbed from the food you eat. Increased blood flow to the colon means the nutrients are more efficiently extracted and spread through the body.
There is evidence that favorably points to reduction of risk of colon cancer when engaging in regular physical activity. A study done in 2017 looked at the impact of gut microbiota(7), also known as the microbiome, and exercise. The gut microbiome is located in the colon and makes up the symbiotic relationship between the body, bacteria and yeast. These organisms, along with enzymes, water, and oxygen, help break down the food we eat so our bodies can absorb the nutrients. Medications, particularly antibiotics, can wreak havoc on this microbiome and allow yeast or other “bad bacteria” to flourish, causing abdominal pain, discomfort and distress. Exercise has been shown to increase the beneficial microbes in our gut that help keep our gut healthy and functioning properly. Exercise also increases gut motility. This means that waste products are moved through the colon much quicker and more efficiently. This reduces gas and bloating.

I would like to add at this point, there are numerous studies that indicate there is a very strong and statistically significant relationship between a healthy gut microbiome and decreased anxiety and depression(9). The brain and gut are in communication with each other and can send signals back and forth. When one is affected, so is the other. When a person experiences anxiety from an outside stressor, this can cause abdominal pain, discomfort, even nausea. When the gut biome is unbalanced or unwell, it can contribute to feelings of depression and despondency as well as generalized anxiety. Understanding what is actually happening inside our own gut can help inform treatments or remedies facilitate return to equilibrium. After all, our bodies are designed to maintain balance or equilibrium. This is called homeostasis. All the functions and chemical/hormonal functions our bodies perform, do so in constant struggle to reach that balance.

Effects on the Urinary System

The urinary tract also receives increased blood flow. The kidneys are able to process the blood at a higher rate, increasing the removal of toxins from the blood to be expelled from the body. Matching with hydration, the body uses that water to escort the toxins out.

In 2008 a retrospective study(10) was done on nursing home patients in multiple states which indicated a statistically significant reduction in the occurrence of urinary infections in patients who were able to walk. This also included patients who could be transferred in and out of bed. This reduction risk also included a reduction in hospitalizations.
Walking can also help manage and improve urinary conditions such as overactive bladder(11). While over exercising with high impact exercises may do more harm than good, it appears that regular walking provides the most benefit.

Accountability and Goals

I would now like to discuss something that may be uncomfortable for some of you, dear readers, but I assure you it stems from a place of great compassion and love. I count myself among you, dear reader, because I also struggle with accountability and time management when it comes to health.

Sometimes we don’t see the reason for what our bodies are doing, because we don’t want to accept the responsibility of the choices we've made or because we feel the effort is too great to make a significant change. It is quite rewarding to go through the process of understanding our choices and forgiving ourselves for making those choices either out of our own unawareness, indecision or even simply being too busy. Be assured that the time and effort we prioritize toward taking care of ourselves is always worth the effort. It also allows us to be around longer for those we love. Even if we feel like things have gone sideways for too long to be able to make things better, as long as we have breath in our body, there is always time enough to make a change. Once we've identified the purpose of the poor choice or to what it was in response, only then can we figure a way to move forward and make better choices. We didn’t learn to walk without taking baby steps. It is a process that takes time, practice and consistency.

We can make all the excuses we want for why we can’t take a walk every day or even 3 days a week. But, if you spend more than 15 minutes of your day scrolling social media, you have time to take a walk.

Setting small attainable goals will help you to stick with your plan. Marathon runners don’t develop the ability to complete a marathon by sitting in a chair all day. It requires consistent movement with regular intervals of increased physical stress to prolong endurance. Do what works for you.

Enlisting the assistance of a friend or family member to help keep you accountable and consistent. Have them contact you frequently to ask if you have been on your walk. They may even want to come with you, which will only heighten the effectiveness. We must be patient with ourselves and each other. If we fail to follow through one day, figure out why and acknowledge it out loud, preferably to a witness or your accountability partner. Then, forgive, resolve to do better, and get back to it.

Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t do this for anyone but yourself. At the end of the day, you have to live with the choices you’ve made.

Remember: Walking is not a miracle, fix all remedy. It’s a step in the right direction...pun intended.

Conclusion

Walking is an activity we learn as children. Over time, the novelty wears off and we can lose sight of how important it is for our health. Our bodies were not designed to sit behind a desk in a cubicle all day. Our bodies were designed to walk. The health benefits of walking daily to 3 times a week cannot be understated. There are abundant studies available to the public reiterating that fact. It is important to seek the guidance and oversight of a trusted, licensed physician prior to starting any health regimen, remedy or plan to rule out any underlying, undiagnosed condition. These conditions can worsen in the presence of strenuous activity and cause injury or more sickness. Our health is our responsibility. However, sometimes we all need a little help. Small goals and an accountability buddy will help us attain those goals and stay on track. As walking provides children with a new sense of purpose and adventure, so too can we see that walking regularly is only the beginning to a whole new world for us.

SOURCES:

1.) Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks (PubMed)

2.) Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks (ResearchGate)

3.) Walking as an Opportunity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (PubMed)

4.) Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (BMJ)

6.) Exercise for Stress and Anxiety(ADAA)

7.) Exercise and the Brain: The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise (Healthline)

9.) Gut Microbiome and Depression: How Microbes Affect the Way We Think (PubMed)

5.) Depression and Anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms (MayoClinic)

8.) Exercise Modifies the Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects (PubMed)

10.) Mobility and other predictors of hospitalization for urinary tract infection: a retrospective cohort study

11.) Overactive Bladder and Exercise: Can Physical Activity Help or Hurt? (St.PeterUrology)