How To Walk For Better Posture + The Role It Plays In Your Health

Are you sitting up straight right now? I know I wasn't before I wrote that sentence. I'd argue, most of us aren't much of the time—but we know this. What we don't often discuss is how our posture looks when we walk—because if you're standing up straight when you walk, that means you're good, right?

According to Jana Danielson, a pelvic floor expert and Pilates instructor who recently appeared on the mindbodygreen podcast, walking posture is much more complex than it seems. What's more, your posture matters for more reasons than how you look; it's an often overlooked piece of the health puzzle. 

Here's the general idea: "60% of your weight should be on that big, heavy calcaneus bone at the back of your foot," says Danielson.

The remaining 40% should be distributed across the forefront of your foot, where your toes connect to the rest of your foot. "The toe pads should have very little, if any, weight on them," she explains.

Placing most of your weight on the front of your foot shifts your body positioning forward, causing you to lean over your feet rather than align with the rest of your body. 

For this same reason, so many foot health experts recommend steering clear from those uber-cushioned shoes that place all the support in the back, leaning your foot forward in the shoe. 

When your body is properly aligned, essential processes like breathing can happen more smoothly, as there's less pressure on the diaphragm. This alignment also allows your pelvic floor to function correctly: 

"The pelvic floor is like the downstairs roommate of the diaphragm. Once the diaphragm starts functioning properly through breathwork, the pelvic floor wakes up automatically,” Danielson notes.

The pelvic floor plays a crucial role in many bodily functions. When it's compromised, it can lead to problems such as incontinence, constipation, difficulty urinating, chronic back pain, and persistent tight hips.

RELATED: 5 Signs Your Pelvic Floor Needs Attention & What To Do About It

While your sitting posture is certainly important, we often overlook our walking posture—which is equally essential for optimal well-being. Walking with the majority of the weight on your back heel and less on the front of your foot will help you align your body through a bottom-up approach. This pays off in many ways, especially to support your pelvic floor.