Contributed by Info Guru Aurora LaJambre

Chronic pain takes its toll on a person’s quality of life, particularly when ordinary movements exasperate it.

Ignoring a slight discomfort can exasperate the problem so consult your physician if you haven’t already.

These top ways to walk without pain show how to get your exercise without doing real damage or aggravating existing issues.

10. Orthotic shoes

If there’s soreness in your foot, arch or heel, a pair of orthotic shoes or insoles may be in order. Orthotics help those with plantar fasciitis learn to control and correct their pronation. This type of footwear is designed to provide support, comfort and relief from arthritis, bunions and other common problems.

9. Cross-train

Cross-training isolates and strengthens and tones weak muscles, allowing you to train your whole body to take on a new activity, like hiking. This is particularly apt if you have frequent knee pain. Lighten your mileage and work squats, quad strengtheners, foot flexes and resistance training into your regular workout. Improving the muscles around the knee will result in improve overall alignment and support.

8. Wear wider shoes

Bunions occur on the big or little toe when the joints are misaligned, causing intense swelling. If this sounds unpleasant, that’s because it is, but there are a few ways to walk without pain if you have one. For starters, have your shoes widened by a shoe repair shop or invest in a pair of wide-toed shoes. You can also use foot pads to cushion the swollen area. Ice and physical therapy help reduce inflammation as well.

7. Trim toenails often

Ingrown toe nails will cause a great deal of discomfort, so trim them frequently with small toenail clippers and go straight across rather than rounding the tips. If the problem persists, have a podiatrist take a look. In the mean time, make sure your footwear leaves plenty of room for the toes.

6. Stand up straight

Walking pains aren’t exclusively for the feet. The lower-back aches can occur if you’ve had a previous injury, bad posture or don’t engage your core. Look for back care products that pamper the sore areas. Roll your shoulders back and imagine bringing your belly button in toward your elongated spine. Before and after walking, do a full body stretch with your arms over your head and straightened spine shooting towards the sky.

5. Invest in a bell

One of the most effective ways to walk without pain is to let others do the walking for you. If your feet are swollen, tender or making getting anywhere difficult, take the hint your body is giving you. Relax. Put your legs up and ring the bell if you need anything – tea, the remote, reading material or good old company. Your family may grumble a bit, but they don’t mind.

4. Two pairs for the road

A number of foot problems are more common with women who wear high heels often. If this is you, and you know who you are, consider a happy compromise. Wear supportive, stylish shoes when traveling on foot, and slip into the heels once you get to where you’re going.

3. Skip the inclines

Walking on an incline forces the tendon to stretch. If you’re not used to hills, this will aggravate any tenderness you feel around your lower calf or the heel. If you’ve done more walking than usual recently, completing a charity walk or touring a city on foot, choose flatter surfaces whenever possible until the tenderness fades. In the future, build up to longer, more intense distances with these helpful workout tips so your muscles have time to prepare.

2. Heal first

Soreness around your shin develops when you put more strain on the legs than they’re used to. For instance, if you’ve recently taken up speed walking for exercise and you’re going up inclines or traveling far distances, the sudden change can cause shin splints. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to do just when you’re starting an exercise regiment, the best thing to do is take a few weeks off to give the shins time to repair.

1. Increase your shoe size

Whether you’re a runner or a walker, increasing the size of your athletic shoes by a half size can make a world of difference. During a run, or the course of a normal day, your feet swell. If there’s zero wiggle room, your feet are bound to feel sore from constant constraint.