What are the effects of regular walking and barefoot walking? 😆

You walk a lot these days, right?

I also walk more than ten thousand steps every day.

Walking barefoot on sand burns more calories compared to regular walking.

These days, when I go to the park, I notice that it is well designed for barefoot walking.

Walking every day is good for dieting and health, and it would be great to practice it whenever the weather is nice.

 

 

 

Recently, there has been a surge in walking exercises through mobile apps. Along the Nakdong River in Andong, various barefoot walking paths such as sandy trails, red light paths, acupressure walkways, and water routes have been created under the name 'Barefoot Road' (路道).

Andong City Health Center has been conducting an academic research project since May to compare and analyze the effects of regular walking and barefoot walking in order to verify the effectiveness of barefoot walking.

At the final report presentation held five days ago, the research results showed that barefoot walking (on sand) burned 316 kcal and 451 kcal in one hour, which is 1.4 times more than regular walking; muscle activation was 1 kcal and 1.56 kcal, 1.6 times higher; and plantar pressure was 1 kcal and 1.59 kcal, also 1.6 times higher.

The public health center conducted this project to inform residents in detail about the exercise benefits of the barefoot walking course installed along the Nakdong River and to provide guidelines for creating a walking environment and promoting practice. Basic data such as initial fitness levels, blood tests, and blood pressure were measured for both the experimental and control groups.

The research results showed that in 2023, the rate of moderate or higher physical activity practice in Andong City was 22%, which is lower than the national average of 25% and Gyeongsangbuk-do's 27.4%.

It was operated in the order of low intensity, moderate intensity, and high intensity, and as a result, muscle activation levels appeared in the order of sand > regular road > ilite > gravel, with plantar pressure being highest on the sand.

Additionally, in terms of energy consumption, the order of measurement was sand > underwater environment > gravel > ilite > flat ground, with barefoot sandy paths showing the highest exercise effectiveness in all aspects.

Through these research findings, the Andong City Health Center plans to install 'Correct! Barefoot Healthy Walking' signs at five locations along the Nakdong River to promote the benefits of barefoot walking paths, and actively utilize them to support basic healthy living initiatives, including the operation of a chronic disease prevention project in collaboration with Andong National University and local government agencies by 2025.

Director Kim Nam-joo of the Health Center stated, "We will continue to provide health guidance through the walking app (WalkOn), promote the exercise benefits of barefoot walking based on service results, foster an environment for practicing it, and further strive to encourage citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle."

 

<Source: Maeil Newspaper>