Walking on the beach: a real free therapy.
Walking on the beach is a healthy activity as well as a pleasant and relaxing one. Here then are all the benefits that a nice walk by the sea offers and some useful tips to optimize your walk.
The scent of the sea, the sound of the waves, the wet sand on the shore and in general everything that the beach offers is a perfect setting for a walk. Walking by the sea is a truly wonderful way to clear your mind and keep your body exercising.
Among other things, the surface on which we walk can make the difference: a softer base like grass and sand is especially useful for those with back and spine problems but it is also ideal for those who want to lose weight.
The benefits of walking on the sand
Walking on sand actually requires more effort than walking on a hard surface. The muscles and tendons will work harder, strengthening the foot and ankle. In addition, the walks on the beach allow you to burn more calories.
A walk by the sea is ideal for those with pain in the knees, back and hips, since the sand makes contact with the earth less “hard”, which makes it easier for bones and joints. as also demonstrated by a study .
Other health benefits:
- Exfoliation : sand is a natural exfoliant. Walking barefoot removes dead skin cells and softens the toes.
- Strength Training : The increased resistance will strengthen the muscles between the feet and back, especially the calves, quads and glutes.
- Weight Loss : Walking on the beach can help you lose weight. Walking on sand leads to a greater reduction in waist circumference than walking on the sidewalk.
- Reduced risk of injury : sand training increases strength and prevents injuries due to the fact that the impact is less.
As we said, walking on the beach also contributes to weight loss. But how many calories do you burn walking on the sand? The amount is determined by both the speed and the weight of the person but in general, as Allen Conrad, certified trainer and chiropractor said:
Since your body uses muscles in a different way when walking on sand, you will burn about one and a half to two times more calories than normal walking. The accessory muscles of the legs and back have to exert more effort to keep you stable when walking on sand e[lo sforzo extra] burns additional calories.
This claim is also supported by science. Although there are limited studies conducted specifically on sand, research from a few years ago looked at the body’s calorie expenditure when walking on uneven ground and found that muscles work between 26-68% more.
source: https://www.greenme.it/salute-e-alIMENTO/salute/camminare-spiaggia-benefici/