Be Cautious When Walking on Cobblestones for Exercise
In recent years, the practice of walking on cobblestones for fitness has become popular across the country. In parks of all sizes, and even in residential communities, cobblestone paths have been paved. Every morning or evening, people line up to walk on them. Those with better living conditions have even laid cobblestone paths in their own yards. Walking on cobblestones has become a fashionable fitness activity.
According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, applying appropriate stimulation to the acupoints of the feet can promote the circulation of qi and blood throughout the body, thereby achieving fitness and preventing diseases. American experts have also conducted research on this. The results show that for people over 60, walking for half an hour a day on smooth cobblestone paths for four consecutive months can significantly lower their blood pressure, and their body's balance and coordination will also be markedly improved.
However, it must be pointed out that this trendy health activity is not suitable for everyone. If one blindly chooses to walk on cobblestones for fitness, it is possible to do more harm than good.
■ Those with Cold-related Diseases
Elderly people who suffer from what Traditional Chinese Medicine considers "cold" diseases, whose feet are sensitive to cold and need to be kept warm, are not suitable for walking barefoot on cool stones. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis have poor vascular elasticity. Cold stimulation can exacerbate vascular spasms, slow down blood flow, and is detrimental to metabolism, so they are also not advised to walk barefoot on cobblestones for fitness.
■ Those with Foot Diseases
People whose feet have joint swelling, pain, strains, sprains, or have not yet healed from conditions like bone spurs and fat pads should not engage in cobblestone walking. Those who have had heel pain, toe tenosynovitis, cysts, or toe fractures need soft padding even when wearing shoes, so they are even less suited to walking on cobblestone paths, as it would aggravate foot injuries. For such patients, although cobblestone walking is not advisable, they can perform foot massages using manual or electric massagers, which can also achieve good fitness results.
■ Those with Bone and Joint Diseases
Elderly people with osteoporosis and degenerative bone and joint diseases should pay attention to controlling the time spent walking on cobblestone paths. Older people generally have varying degrees of degenerative bone and joint diseases and osteoporosis; their joints are no longer as smooth as when they were young. If they walk on the uneven cobblestone path for too long, it can exacerbate the wear and tear of the bone and joints, causing joint swelling and pain. When exercising, older people should avoid long walks. It is advisable to walk on cobblestones for about 15 minutes in the morning and evening, respectively.
■ Those with Foot Trauma
Stones exposed to the outdoors are inevitably covered in dust and various bacteria. Therefore, people with open wounds on their feet should avoid walking barefoot to prevent bacteria from entering the wound and causing infection. If the feet are already infected, such as with athlete's foot, which can lead to skin damage, walking barefoot on stones could easily lead to infection by other pathogens, causing secondary infections.
■ Diabetics
Diabetic patients are prone to lower limb vascular diseases. When peripheral circulation is poor, it is best not to walk on cobblestone paths. This is especially true for patients who already have ulcers on their feet or have significantly reduced sensation. As one of the more serious complications of diabetes, diabetic foot is extremely hazardous and can lead to amputation or even loss of life. Foot injuries and infections are major causes of diabetic foot. When patients have poor lower limb circulation, their sensation is often blunted, making them insensitive to pain, cold, and heat. They may not even feel minor injuries. The friction from the uneven cobblestones can cause small injuries to the feet. For a diabetic patient, these small injuries could lead to major problems. For newly diagnosed diabetics who have not yet developed lower limb vascular diseases, cobblestone walking is possible, but attention must be paid to hygiene.
Even for people without foot diseases, it is advisable to wash your feet immediately after a cobblestone walking session to prevent pathogens from infecting small wounds caused by exercise. The cobblestone paths in parks or communities are public exercise areas. Since some individuals may have infectious foot diseases, cross-infection can easily occur. Therefore, it is best not to exercise barefoot. Wearing a pair of cotton socks can effectively block the transmission of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. After exercising, socks should be changed and washed promptly to maintain cleanliness.
Cobblestone walking is only suitable for warmer seasons. When the weather is cold, you can exercise on indoor fitness tracks to achieve the same results.