The average person takes anywhere from 8 to 10,000 steps per day. The majority of these steps are taken during regular commutes, for instance; from one class to another, one office to another, or walking to and from the car. Walking can also be used as exercise.
Most exercise physicists say that walking actually provides better exercise than running. When walking the heart rate does not elevate to a carbohydrate burning level. This allows the heart rate to stay at a level in which the body burns fat rather than carbohydrates. For this reason, walking will actually burn more fat than running.
It is a myth that when you run the same distance as you walk you actually burn more calories. The same amount of calories are burned over any particular distance whether you run or walk. So by taking the slow and steady approach the same amount of calories are used only these calories are taken from the fat in our body.
Walking also has advantages to running in respect to long-term damage to bones and joints. Running is a much more high impact activity than walking. This is due to the fact that during walking there is no point at which neither foot is on the ground. This allows for less force to be applied to the foot when the heel touches the ground.
Though walking is less high impact than running, it can cause damage to the joints. Wearing proper shoe gear and, in some cases, arch supports can decrease the impact on the joints.
With every step a person takes there is a point in which the arch of the foot decreases and moves towards the floor. When this happens the bones in the foot go from a stable congruent construction to a loose and movable construction. The excessive movement of the joints leads to deformities like bunions, or hammertoes. Supporting the arch will keep the bones of the foot in the stable construction and help prevent these deformities.
When the arch of the foot decreases excessively this also takes the knees and hips out of alignment. When these joints are out of alignment one side of the joint takes more pressure than the other. This abnormal distribution of pressure will cause pain when a significant amount of walking is done. Arch supports will help prevent this malaligned of the joints and assist in pain-free walking.
In conclusion, walking is one of the healthiest exercises a person can do to keep in shape. It helps your circulatory system, your heart, and your nervous system. As long as their feet and legs are kept in proper alignment a person should expect pain-free walking for many years.