Health and fitness titles like ours often offer advice about increasing step count, hitting a certain number every day and clocking up double-digit mileage for the week.

But what happens when you’ve taken time off from your regular amount of walking? Maybe an illness, an injury or some other misfortune has gotten in the way of getting your steps in. You can end up losing a lot of the basic attributes you need for walking safely, such as balance, strength and stamina.

Milica McDowell, a doctor of physical therapy, exercise physiologist, and VP of operations for Gait Happens , explains what you need to be doing to build up the foundational walking components that will make your return to walking easier. You may like

Forget 10,000 steps—what should you do if 1,000 steps a day is your go

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