Walking?

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I don't really know what I do with my arms, but my gait is very odd, less of a walk and more of a perpetual free-fall. I basically hunch over and fall from one foot to the other, which sounds a lot like stomping and drives my dad crazy because he thinks I'm going to ruin my back. He's probably right, but I've tried walking "normally" and it just feels so weird.

I put my hands in my pockets now, which seems to help with moving my shoulders, which is seen as part of a normal gait movement. Normal movement also seems to relax other people around me.

I never know where my hands or feet should go. This is part of why I like to carry a purse. When I have my purse in one hand, I'll usually carry something in my own hand, like my phone or keys or something. That seems to give me license to not move my arms much, which is how my body naturally wants to work.

I don't think I move my arms much when I walk, unless I'm climbing up a hill or something. I'm pretty sure I also have terrible posture from hunching over and trying to avoid meeting people's eyes when I walk. My aspie other half is much more cavalier with his arms though.

I seem to remember reading about a connection between autism and not knowing what to do with arms when walking, as well as the whole unusual gait thing. But I could have dreamed that.

Hands in pockets.

Or, lacking pockets, swinging TOO much.

Man, I can get that arm pumping...I must look funny....

I don't swing my arms much while I walk, and when they do move, I hold them stiffly (whereas most people bend at the elbow when they walk). I keep my hands in my pockets a lot, and when I have my backpack on, I like to hold onto the straps. I also tend to look down a lot when I walk--not sure why, it just feels more comfortable that way.

I remember being picked on for how I walked in high school, I used to clasp my hands in front of my body because I felt weird and never knew what to do with my hands.

These days I ALWAYS carry some kind of bag which I can have one or both hands on, or I walk with my hands in my pockets. I cannot explain why but letting them just hang feels SO WEIRD.

I also always feel as though one leg is longer than the other and I'm very self concious of how I walk.

I walk with a long and fast gate the covers ground quickly - the gate forces a fair amount of movement on the arms - though I have always liked to carry something - so that my arms have something to do - I often walk my dog if I just want to walk some - again it sets up some other activity for my upper body. Almost no one ever wants to walk with me because they find keeping up with me difficult.

Not sure if my arms are rigid, but walking a straight line consistantly has always been a problem for me, and I've had people comment on my slouching/"Why do you always look down?" when I walk.

As a child I walked very differently then most kids, a combo of birth defect leg deformaties and who knows what else, but I used to hit one foot with my other foot and fall constantly...several times not putting my hands out in time to stop my face from sliding across feet of pavement.

I now walk dorky-normal including the arm swing. And there is one thing to thank for that, I started in marching band when i was in Jr High and went all the way through HS.

Marching Band requires a very regimented walking style, feet at a 45 degree angle, arm swing to match everyone else, heel hits ground first then you roll to toe.

That was 25 years ago, and I still walk like that.

I imagine it might be similar for former military folks, who -had- to conform to a marching or walking style.