Walking

Abstract

Walking is one of the most universal of all human activities (Murray et al. 1964) and the word “walk”, in all its forms, has been used not only in poetry, but also in association with many other aspects of our lives, both functional and cultural. Walking enhances and enriches our daily life, broadens our possibilities for achievement and enjoyment, and lightens our work load. It means far more to us than the textbook explanation of locomotion being “the translation of the centre of gravity through space along a path requiring the least expenditure of energy (Basmajian 1979), or the classic dictionary definitions:

• Walking: “The action of moving on the feet at any pace short of breaking into a run or trot”.

• Walk: “Of human beings or or other bipeds: to progress by alternate move-ments of the legs so that one foot is always on the ground”.