I realised (via some conversations) that my walking style has progressed to me looking down at my feet whilst I'm walking. This is not very good for my posture! I am now focussing on walking looking forward and trying to keep my posture more upright.
There are two consequences of this:
- I'm having to rely on my proprioception to ensure that my feet are picked up high enough so they clear obstacles and don't drag on the ground. I'm having to put a bit more conscious effort into walking so my legs are doing what I ask them. (instead of using visual feedback in a more automatic way)
- The change is making the muscles in my torso feel different, and I'm hoping that this is just a temporary thing whilst my body gets used to a new way of standing and walking.
On the balance front, I'm becoming more conscious that in addition to using banisters for going up and down stairs, I'm also using my hands on other things whilst walking on the level. It is likely that my balance is on the change a little, and my need to use other things for support is a reflection of this.
A much more obvious example of changes in my balance is during Pilates. Each week I'm positioning a chair next to my mat so that I can steady myself when any standing activities require balance. This is principally whenever we're lifting one foot off the floor. My balance still seems reasonable when both feet are in contact with the ground. I'm not really needing to grab the back of the chair, its just a question of putting my hand to rest on the back of the chair.
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