Walking is among the best exercises for full-body cardio for your overall physical and mental fitness. Starting your day with a morning walk can do wonders, offering your body health benefits.

Apart from strengthening your muscles walking also helps in weight loss and management. And even though it is awesome, walking because of wrong posture, or by putting too much pressure on your lower body can cause issues with knees like pain, inflammation, and stiffness. In the long run, it can also cause osteoarthritis – which has no cure.

According to experts, it may not be too hard on your knees if you follow a few tips.

Before you begin your morning walk, make sure to do some warming-up exercises, which help keep you energized, and flexible. Warm-up can begin by first walking at a slow pace and stretching.

Also, you may benefit from applying heat to your joints before you walk or taking a warm shower or bath after walking. Starting at an easy pace is recommended for everyone, especially when you have stiff or sore joints as it helps get your joint fluid moving. Then, you can pick up your pace after a few minutes.

You can always break up your walking schedule into 10-minute segments - with an ultimate goal of 30 minutes per day. Experts advise starting at an easy or moderate pace as you build endurance.

Eventually, with time, you can aim to do a brisk walk at 2.5 to 3.5 mph or any speed that is challenging yet effective and comfortable.

According to studies, those who have osteoarthritis benefit most when they walk at least 6,000 steps in a day. If you are using a phone app to track your steps, make sure to follow all your steps during the day count. Make that your first goal. If you can eventually exceed that regularly without increasing pain, that is good.

To walk properly without putting too much pressure on your knees, make sure to wear shoes that are flat, flexible, and bendable in the forefoot with a low heel-to-toe drop. Look for shoes with a wide-toe box.

Experts advise choosing heels that are 0.75 inches or less. Proper cushioning in the shoes also provides ample support for your knees to not feel any pressure.

If you have a lot of pain or stiffness in the morning, try to get up and move around for a minute or two every half hour. You will better enjoy long walks at a time when you have fewer aches, and that will help you be consistent.

It is important to make sure to walk on natural surface trails if you have knee problems as they are easier on the joints. These uneven, natural surfaces provide more balanced exercise and give pain-free comfort.

Moving your knees is the best joint is the way that you ensure the cartilage in your knees receives the nourishment it needs to stay healthy. Being inactive or sedentary leads to joints that are stiff and sore in the morning. By moving your joints, you help them maintain their function, and you may help keep them functioning longer.

Regular exercise also maintains and builds muscles, which you need to support your knee and maintain functioning. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking also helps maintain bone health.

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