All exercises are not created equally. Some very healthy exercises when done wrong can easily injure you. Taking on too much weight, improper form and a whole host of factors can make a great exercise turn bad quickly.
Walking Injuries
Walking is arguably the safest form of exercise in which to engage. But sometimes injuries can occur when walking shoes are inappropriate or worn out or when walking faster than normal stresses foot or leg tendons.
Plantar fasciitis, which is tenderness on the bottom of the foot or heel, is caused by tendon inflammation. Any change in an exercise routine, like suddenly increasing walking distance, could precede this injury. Those with high arches or who pronate -- walking partially on the inside or outside edge of the foot -- are vulnerable to this injury.
If foot pain from plantar fasciitis is particularly bad in the morning, stretch the tissue by pulling toes toward the shin gently, holding for 10 seconds and letting go. Repeat 10 times.
When walking, wear proper shoes for the type of workout. Walkers need shoes that offer safe padding and support without being hard on the feet.
"Walkers can overwork the area when pounding the pavement, especially when you wear hard shoes on concrete, because there's very little give as the foot lands," says Teresa Schuemann, a physical therapist in Fort Collins, Colo., and a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association.
Got shin splints? This is pain on the front of the shins, caused by small muscle tears along it. This injury is caused by a sudden increase in workout. To heal from shin splints, try biking or a sport that does not cause repetitive impact on legs.