6 movement mistakes you don't know you're making

HOW TO CORRECT IT: “Visualize the movement and break it down into component pieces,” Gillanders advises. Make a concerted effort to walk slowly: Strike the ground with the heel of one foot,

roll through the foot and push off from the front of that foot; as you strike the ground with the other heel, roll through that foot, and so on. If you find this difficult to do and you

suspect there may have been a biomechanical change to your foot, Steffes suggests seeing a podiatrist to find out if you’d benefit from orthotics. 5. MISTAKE: LOCKING YOUR KNEES WHEN YOU’RE

STANDING STILL. You might do this without thinking about it, but it puts a great deal of stress into the back of the knees and into the low back, Steffes warns. A similar mistake people

often make is to shift their weight onto one leg when they’re standing in line, for example, instead of keeping it balanced between their legs. This also adds unnecessary stress to the

weight-bearing knee and other bones in that leg, Gillanders adds. HOW TO CORRECT IT: The first step is to notice when you tend to do it. Maybe it’s while you’re standing in a long line or

talking to someone while standing. In these situations, stand with your feet hip-width apart and keep a soft bend in your knees so they’re not clenched, Steffes says. If you’re standing for

a while, it can also help to do heel raises with both feet, Betz says.​​ 6. MISTAKE: LOOKING AT THE GROUND WHILE YOU WALK. zhihao / Getty Images Sometimes people do this when their balance

is compromised and they’re afraid of falling, Betz says. But doing this throws your posture out of its proper alignment, which can lead to back and neck strain. Believe it or not, looking

down while walking also can increase your risk of falling by bringing your center of gravity forward, Steffes notes. Plus, he adds, when you look at the ground, you are seeing things that

are momentarily in front of you, which prevents you from avoiding obstacles that may come up ahead.   HOW TO CORRECT IT: Try to maintain good posture — with your head over your shoulders,

your shoulders over your hips, and so on — while you walk. Keep your eyes on the horizon, looking 10 to 20 feet in front of you as you walk, Betz says. And “don’t walk with bifocals on,” she

adds, because they present a fall risk. ​