For nearly all of human history, walking has been the universal form of movement and travel. It’s the default mode of transportation: the most natural and efficient way of getting from Point A to Point B, even if it’s not the fastest way anymore. But for almost the entire 200,000 year history of humanity, we have walked wherever we need to go: from the African savanna all the way to the Polynesian Islands, from one village to the next, from home to work and back. Some people in the last few centuries were lucky enough to have horses to ride, but up until the last 100 years or so, it was mostly your own two feet.
In our modern times, 83% of Americans drive regularly to meet their travel needs, and many of the remainder rely on public transportation like city buses. We simply don’t walk as much or as far as we were designed to, and it’s taken a toll on our health: at least one major study found that the soaring rates of obesity are caused by lack of exercise, not poor diet. Staying active, then, is hugely important in maintaining your overall health.
But staying active isn’t as easy these days. Life in the midst of a pandemic is strange and difficult in many ways, and even our exercise routines are impacted. Workout machines, treadmills and gyms all place us indoors in close proximity with other people, a stressful situation where social distancing isn’t possible. In the face of these obstacles, more people are hiking during coronavirus lockdown and getting their physical activity in while spending time outdoors.
Unfortunately, the end of the pandemic and safety measures like social distancing are still a ways off, so for the time being this is the future of exercise: walking is the perfect alternative to living inside or being around crowds. Find your route, bring your face mask, grab some water, put on your supportive walking shoes, and go for a walk! You’ll feel better in mind and body, and it will help keep you in better shape and strengthen your immune system.
At Z-CoiL we are committed to helping you enjoy greater freedom and better health. Our revolutionary Z-CoiL footwear relieves pain and supports your whole body to make walking easier and staying active a breeze. Grab your pair of therapeutic walking shoes today, and don’t forget to read up on how to stay safe while hiking during the pandemic.
After the COVID-19 crisis is over, maybe we will all have gained something amid the adversity, rediscovering what our ancestors knew so well: the simple and far-reaching joy of going for a walk by yourself, taking in the outdoors, breaking up your indoor routine to get some fresh air and exercise. Going for walks is a healthy and rejuvenating habit to get into, and we at Z-CoiL hope that if nothing else, this change in particular sticks around.