September’s here and parents across the nation will once again be tackling the daily school run. But have you considered swapping your wheels for your legs?
According to our Southend chiropractor, walking is one of the best ways to benefit from exercise without aggravating the structures in the lower back. Not only will you benefit from the exercise but walking provides a whole host of health benefits to your child. These include:
- Strengthening the muscles in their feet, legs, hips, and torso. Walking increases the stability of the spine and conditions the muscles that keep the body in the upright position.
- Nourishing their spinal structures. Regular walking encourages strong circulation, which helps to deliver vital nutrients into soft tissues.
- Improving their flexibility and posture. Walking, along with regular stretching, allows greater range of motion, which can help to prevent awkward movements and lower the risk of future injuries.
Why else is walking good for kids?
Here are just a couple more reasons to start walking your child to school:
- Walking to school from a young age will help them to develop road awareness in time for independent walking as a teenager.
- Walking is fun and interesting. Your children will get to notice things along the way and meet different people in your local area.
- Walking helps to improve physical and emotional health and can even boost mood and self esteem levels.
Of course, when you have a busy family life, it can be very tempting to jump in the car to ferry the little ones to school. But swapping just a few of those car journeys for walks will be easier than you think. About a third of all the journeys we undertake are less than a mile, which is only about a 20 minute walk! And the best part is that you won’t have to hunt for a parking space when you get to the school!
Walking is a fantastic activity that you and your children can do together. It’s never too early to start walking your child to school.
What’s stopping you from walking your children to school? After all, there’s nothing more important than the health of your kids