Practice Good Walking Form

Quick Win

Good alignment and posture make walking more comfortable. Practice indoors today — then you’ll be ready to take it on the road.

Try This Today

• Standing in front of a mirror, stretch your spine upward. Avoid slouching or arching. Roll your shoulders up and back, then relax them down. Make sure your chin is parallel to the floor and your ears are in line with your shoulders.
• Engage your core. Contract your stomach muscles slightly, but be sure you can still take deep breaths. This important move can help prevent slouching and protect your lower back. Your pelvis should be neutral, not tucked under or tipped forward.
• Do a test run. Maintaining this posture, walk around your home. As you walk, look ahead and keep a slight bend in your arms as you let them swing freely from your shoulders. Your back, shoulders and neck should feel relaxed. With each step, roll from heel to toe.

Why

Walking for exercise supports good health in myriad ways, and maintaining good form can help you get the most benefit without developing back or neck pain. Walking upright, rather than slouching, may even help protect you from injury. Having a hunched back — a condition known as hyperkyphosis that can result from weak muscles and poor posture — can impair your balance and increase your risk of falling. That’s according to a review of 19 studies involving a total of 12,805 people ages 60 and older published in Gait & Posture in 2025.