Are you ready to chug down your daily dose of strides but fearful about the threat of an overdose? You've probably embraced the heart-happy, diabetes-dumping effects of walking, and you may even be familiar with the high of the TikTok “hot girl walk” or the urban hiking trend. You're lacing up those sneakers, ready to smash out 10 to 15 miles of concrete crunching in your city's crevices. You're down for a good walk, but are you on the verge of a dangerous overdose?

Oops! Cue a record scratch, please! It's impossible to slap a 'max limit' label on walking or, well, any exercise really, according to Randy Cohn, MD, Northwell Health Orthopaedic Institute's orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine doctor. Long-distance walking could be your golden ticket to a longer life. A 2020 study of over 4,800 U.S. adults found that walking more steps per day can lower the curtain on death from all causes more than averaging lesser steps.

But don't mistake this as your invitation to embark on a 20-30 mile per day marathon. Just like drinking eight cups of coffee in one sitting can make your heart dance a risky tango, walking excessive miles without proper conditioning can land you in the injury-zone. Factors like your age, fitness level, joint health, and even the fickleness of your city's weather can play a part.

Unlike those influencer-promoted walks that span hours, the average untrained mortal can cap at around six miles in two hours. If you can't squeeze in a two-hour walking workout in your schedule, you might want to reconsider your aspirations of becoming a walking addict.

We all want more steps, but some demographics should watch out for turning their beneficial strides into harmful strides. The red flags of extended walks are waving at people with cardiopulmonary issues, pressure-ridden hearts, joint-jammed legs, and respiratory conditions. And for those who have collected more than a few decades under their belt, the threat of falls and overexertion makes longer walks less appealing.

Feeling a little achy after a marathon walk is one thing, but if your feet are sending SOS signals in the form of joint pain or abnormal feelings, you might be spoiling the broth by walking too much. Difficulty sleeping, mood changes, and an elevated resting heart rate could be your body crying for a rest.

For those of you still craving that healthy dose of walking, remember that proper training, safety, and progression are the pills to swallow. Start with manageable distances and inch your way up, strengthen the muscles that bear the brunt of your steps, and grab your water bottle, lace up those supportive walking shoes, and pound those well-lit, bustling city pavements.