Why do our hands naturally move back and forth while walking?

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Was just on a walk and it crossed my mind

In: Biology

5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Swinging momentum that’s all. Try to hold your arm still; you’re engaging your delts to keep them from swinging. Relax your muscles and your arms will naturally swing again

Anonymous 0 Comments

Because it is the most economic way of moving, and uses 12% less metabolic energy

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63362/why-do-we-swing-our-arms-when-we-walk

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021929020306059

Anonymous 0 Comments

When we put our right leg forward, it’s easier to maintain balance by countering that position by putting our left arm forward, and vice versa with left leg and right arm.

Anonymous 0 Comments

When you swing your leg forward, your body’s natural reaction is to twist. By swinging your opposite arm forward at the same time, you counteract the twisting and turn it into more stable forward motion.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Your arms work as a counterbalance to the movement of your legs and body. As you move body parts around your center of gravity moves around and you naturally move other body parts to try and keep your balance. You can still walk without moving your arms, but its less efficient and tiring since now you need to use different muscles and posture to try and retain your balance.