While walking, the maximum force on your legs exceeds the weight
they normally support by quite a bit, although the exact factor
depends on how you walk. If when you walk, you donít bounce up
and down (this is not how people usually walk, but it is easier
to think about), and each foot is in contact with the ground 50%
of the time, the maximum weight on the legs will be about twice
what they usually support, because only one leg is holding you
up at a time and the weight is not shared. When a foot is lifted
off of the ground, it supports no weight. If you bounce up and
down a bit when you walk, the legs must supply the force needed
to do that. This force depends on if the bouncing is jerky or
smooth, and is probably best measured with pressure-sensing
devices in the shoes. If you donít bend your knees when walking,
you will send pounding shocks up your legs and back when they
hit the ground. Still, while walking, my guess is that the
maximum force is only three times the usual weight they support
(half of the