Walk the walk

A wander along the shore this morning. Well, along the fields next to the shoreline. Huge group of common seals basking in the sunshine. Too far away to get any pics but I got a good view through the binoculars. Also got a good view of the 2 pairs of Shellducks that now have at least 6 ducklings each.

I’ve never really used walking poles. I’ve taken a stick with me to the shore ever since I fell and broke my wrist a few years back - it gives a little bit of, possibly false, sense of security  in walking over slippy  rocks. I’ve been walking over the fields and rougher maritime heath a lot recently and have realised that on this type of ground the single stick was making me walk lopsided. I noticed last time I was out for a walk how much my stride had shortened and my gait was shifting side to side causing everything to be out of kilter.

My back  has been grumbling in the past few weeks after walks so I thought instead of the single stick I’d try the two poles that had been given to the boys many years ago. What a difference! I immediately had a more upright posture and found my stride lengthen to match the movement of my arms which was now including my shoulders and back muscles. Everything felt balanced. Instead of an ache in my lower back I was getting stretch throughout my leg muscles.

I did find the walk much more tiring and by the time I got home my legs were aching but it was an ache that I recovered from after doing a little tai chi and some stretching when I got back rather than the back pain that has been lingering recently. So I will stick with the walking poles for a while, it will be interesting to see if my back continues to improve.