In the U.S., over 80 million people participate in exercise walking. It is no surprise that Americans have made exercise walking their top sport. But, many exercise walkers end up with injuries to their feet because they do not take the appropriate steps to prevent foot problems. Working into a walking program gradually, with the right pair of shoes, can make the difference between spending time enjoying the outdoors, or spending time on the couch nursing a sore foot. Exercise walkers should use the following tips to help prevent foot problems:

1. Buy a shoe made for walking. Make sure the shoe has enough stability and support. Grab the shoe at the toe and the heel. Try to twist the shoe by turning one hand clockwise and the other hand counter clockwise. Try to bend the shoe. If you can twist the shoe or fold the shoe in half, it is too flexible. Make sure the shoe has enough room at the toes and is fitted well at the heel.

2. Choose soft surfaces. Walking on a track or a trail will decrease the impact on your feet and legs. Cement can be a particularly hard surface for walking.

A new walking trend is to do laps in the local mall. Although this can be a safe and easy alternative to busy suburban streets, mall floor are usually made of linoleum overlying cement, which is a very unforgiving surface. If you are walking on this surface, make sure your shoes have enough shock absorption. Don