Is Walking Bad for Neuropathy Pain?

Let’s cut to the chase, is walking really that bad for neuropathy?

Not entirely. In fact, walking is generally considered beneficial for people with peripheral neuropathy, a condition that occurs when nerves in the body's extremities, such as the hands and feet, are damaged. This damage can cause a variety of symptoms, including pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.

A number of reasons can make walking painful if you have neuropathy in your feet, but it’s far from impossible.

In this guide, we will explore the benefits of walking for reducing nerve pain, and explain how you can walk safely and effectively with neuropathy.

It may not seem intuitive that walking could help you when you have so much pain in your feet. But actually, “walking off the pain” is a more viable idea than you would think. Let’s explain why.

Dr. Bussell at Loma Linda University Health says that nerve health requires circulation to clear waste and deliver fuel.

If you are sedentary because of neuropathy, your circulation can suffer. As a result, it is harder for your nerves to get the nutrients they need. Walking is a simple but effective way to combat this issue.

Dr. Bussell also explains that nerve pain can be associated with reduced blood flow. As such, boosting circulation body-wide is a priority. Walking is a great way to achieve that increase in circulation. Additionally, it is low-impact, making it suitable for patients with neuropathy.

Because decreased blood flow to the peripheral tissues leads to nerve pain and damage, patients are encouraged to try walking in order to improve circulation and eventually reduce pain.

Another reason to walk when you have neuropathy is for the muscle strengthening benefits.

Brett Starkowitz, master trainer and head of education at Ten Health & Fitness says that you can preserve lean muscle mass by walking. You won’t build muscle by walking, but you can strengthen the muscle tissue you already have.

When you maintain the strength of your muscles in your legs and feet, you may have an easier time maintaining your balance and avoiding unnecessary strains and pains.

Being in pain for long periods of time takes a physical, psychological and emotional toll. The trouble is that the more you stress, the worse you may feel. Stress and chronic pain thus can form a vicious cycle, where each keeps ramping up the other.

The good news is that walking can help to interrupt that cycle by reducing your stress levels. According to certified personal trainer Michelle Rogers at Blue Cross, you only need to walk for around 20-30 minutes to experience a significant decrease in cortisol, which is a stress hormone. As you start feeling better psychologically, you may also start feeling better physically.

Walking can be a great way to stay active and manage the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, but it's important to be mindful of the potential risks that come with it. When you have neuropathy, you might face some unique challenges that can make walking a bit trickier than usual.

Many people with neuropathy experience numbness in their feet. This reduced sensation makes it hard to balance, and can result in tripping, stumbling or falling.

Adaptive footwear can make it easier to maintain your balance by reducing the amount of lifting you need to do to move your feet. Practicing walking also can make a difference as you build up strength in your lower body.  

That said, you may want to take additional precautions like walking on soft surfaces or wearing padding in case you fall (actually, soft surfaces may hurt you less if you fall, but might be harder to maintain your balance on, so that can be a mixed bag).

Along with the concern about falling and injuring yourself, there is also the concern that you could injure yourself simply by overdoing it with walking.

This is one of the reasons it is wise to take things slowly when you are just starting out. That way, you can get a better gauge for what you can handle, and are less likely to go too far by mistake.

Initially, you may want to stick with walking close to home or your vehicle so that you can get back quickly if you do walk too much.

Walking with peripheral neuropathy can present some unique challenges, but with a little bit of preparation and know-how, you can stay safe and comfortable while reaping the many benefits of this low-impact exercise.

Let’s go over some essential strategies for walking safely with neuropathy, from choosing the right footwear and walking surface to pacing yourself and listening to your body's cues.

How do you know if you are overdoing it when walking with neuropathy? Greg Carter, M.D. says that you should watch out for signs such as painful cramps in your muscles, heaviness in your hands or feet, shortness of breath that does not go away, feeling weaker after half an hour of working out, and your muscles getting way too sore in the day or two after you exercise.

Unusually pronounced nerve pain would also be a “stop” signal. You know your own neuropathy better than anyone else, and can tell when something is outside the ordinary.

Do you experience numbness as one of your symptoms? Be sure to take a look at your feet from time to time to make sure you have not sustained an injury you are not aware of yet (i.e. gashing your foot on a rock).

If at any point you are worried that you are hurting yourself, try and stop for the day. When you are not close to home, you might have to pause and take a break before continuing back (or calling a friend or family member to come get you).

A great way to increase your comfort and safety while you are walking with nerve pain is to choose shoes that are especially designed for people with health conditions affecting their gaits.

To help you walk comfortably across rough and smooth surfaces with neuropathy, try a shoe that features variable friction technology, like the Cadense Original Adaptive Shoe (available for men and women).

At least to start, you should walk on even surfaces like sidewalks. A smooth, flat surface requires less effort to walk on, is unlikely to upset your balance, and does
not exert uncomfortable pressure on the bottom of your feet (like pebbles might, for example).

If you are going to hike on trails, consider researching them a bit in advance to make sure that they are not going to be overly rocky, steep or uneven.

While walking is a wonderful exercise for many people with neuropathy, it is not a fit for everyone.

If you cannot always go on walks—or cannot go on them at all—other exercise options include stretches, sitting exercises, balance exercises, cycling and swimming.