Climbing Stairs for Heart Health: Short, Effective, and 20% Reduced Risk
Climbing stairs is a simple and effective way to improve your health and fitness. It can help you burn calories, strengthen your muscles, improve your cardiovascular system, and lower your risk of chronic diseases.
In this article, you will learn about:
- Study
- How long should you climb stairs?
- Reduce Knee Stress with Proper Techniques
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is climbing stairs better than running?
- How many calories do you burn climbing stairs?
- Reference
Table of Contents
- Study
- How long should you climb stairs?
- Reduce Knee Stress with Proper Techniques
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reference
Study
Do you want to improve your heart health and burn fat faster without spending hours in the gym? You might want to try climbing stairs, a simple but effective way to boost your fitness and well-being. According to a recent study from the UK, climbing more than five floors (about 50 steps) a day can lower your risk of heart disease by about 20%!
The study, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, analyzed data from over 450,000 people who participated in the UK Biobank, a large-scale health research project. The researchers collected information on the participants’ stair climbing habits and lifestyle factors through questionnaires, and followed them for an average of 12.5 years.
The results showed that compared to people who rarely or never climbed stairs, climbing one more floor a day (10 steps) had a protective effect against atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD), which are caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries. The more stairs people climbed, the lower their risk of ASCVD. The researchers believe that stair climbing is a short-duration, high-intensity exercise that can improve cardiovascular function and blood lipid levels efficiently.
| Number of floors climbed per day | Reduction in ASCVD risk |
|---|---|
| 1–5 | 3% |
| 6–10 | 16% |
| 11–15 | 22% |
| 16–20 | 23% |
| 21 and above | 19% |
The study found that climbing more than five floors a day had significant health benefits, reducing the risk of ASCVD by about 20%. The researchers suggest that stair climbing can be a low-cost, easy-to-do daily activity that can help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Lu Qi, co-lead author of the study and professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Louisiana State University, said that stair climbing in a short time with high-intensity exercise can effectively improve cardiovascular health and fat metabolism. He added that stair climbing can also help reduce obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which are risk factors for ASCVD.
How long should you climb stairs?
Climbing stairs is a simple and convenient way to get some physical activity in your daily routine. But how much time do you need to spend on the stairs to reap the health benefits? According to a recent study from McMaster University in Canada, you don’t need to climb for hours to see results. In fact, just 10 minutes of stair climbing a day can improve your cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength.
The researchers coined the term “exercise snacks” to describe the idea of doing small bouts of exercise throughout the day, rather than one long session. They found that people who climbed stairs for 10 minutes, three times a day, had better aerobic capacity, lower blood pressure, and stronger leg muscles than those who did not. The study suggests that even busy people can fit in some exercise by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or by adding some extra flights to their routine.
Reduce Knee Stress with Proper Techniques
One of the common concerns about stair climbing is the impact on the knees. Many people avoid climbing stairs because they worry about injuring their knees or worsening their existing knee problems. However, stair climbing can actually be beneficial for your knees, as long as you do it correctly and safely.
Stair climbing can help strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your knees, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Stronger knee support can reduce the stress on your knee joints and prevent injuries. Stair climbing can also improve your joint mobility and flexibility, which can prevent stiffness and pain.
However, if you have a history of knee injuries or conditions, such as arthritis, meniscus tear, or ligament sprain, you should consult your doctor before starting stair climbing. You may need to modify your stair climbing routine or avoid it altogether, depending on your situation. You should also stop climbing stairs and seek medical attention if you experience any signs of knee injury, such as swelling, redness, warmth, or severe pain.
To reduce the risk of knee injury and stress, you should follow these proper techniques when climbing stairs:
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged. Avoid leaning forward or backward, as this can put extra pressure on your knees.
- Step on the entire stair with your foot, not just the toes or the heels. This can help distribute your weight evenly and avoid overloading your knees.
- Use the handrails for balance and support, especially when descending stairs. This can help reduce the impact on your knees and prevent falls.
- Wear comfortable and supportive shoes that fit well and have good cushioning and traction. Avoid wearing high heels, flip-flops, or shoes that are too tight or loose, as they can affect your stability and posture.
- Listen to your body and take breaks when needed. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits or ignore any pain or discomfort. You can rest for a few seconds between flights of stairs or alternate between climbing and descending stairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is climbing stairs better than running?
Climbing stairs and running are both effective forms of aerobic exercise that can improve your cardiovascular health, burn calories, and strengthen your muscles. However, they have different advantages and disadvantages, depending on your goals, preferences, and fitness level.
Climbing stairs is a more intense activity than running, as it requires more effort to lift your body weight against gravity. It also engages more muscles in your lower body, such as your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. This can help you build more power, endurance, and balance. Climbing stairs can also be done indoors, which can be convenient in bad weather or when you have limited space.
However, climbing stairs also puts more stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles. If you have any existing injuries or conditions, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or knee pain, you may want to avoid or limit stair climbing. You may also find it harder to maintain a steady pace and heart rate, as stair climbing can be more tiring and challenging than running.
Running, on the other hand, is a more moderate activity than climbing stairs, as it requires less effort to move your body horizontally. It also engages more muscles in your upper body, such as your arms, shoulders, and core. This can help you improve your posture, coordination, and stability. Running can also be done outdoors, which can be more enjoyable and stimulating for some people.
However, running also has some drawbacks, such as the risk of injury from overuse, impact, or accidents. If you run on hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt, you may increase the wear and tear on your joints and muscles. You may also need more equipment and clothing, such as shoes, socks, shorts, and shirts, to run comfortably and safely.
Ultimately, the best exercise for you depends on your personal preferences, goals, and abilities. You may want to try both climbing stairs and running, and see which one suits you better. You may also want to vary your routine, and do both activities on different days, to get the benefits of both and prevent boredom and plateaus.
How many calories do you burn climbing stairs?
The number of calories you burn climbing stairs depends on several factors, such as your body weight, the speed and intensity of your climbing, the number and height of the stairs, and the duration of your activity. A general formula to estimate the calories burned climbing stairs is:
Calories burned = METs x Weight (kg) x Time (hours)
where METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a measure of the energy cost of an activity, Weight is your body weight in kilograms, and Time is the duration of your activity in hours. The MET value for climbing stairs varies depending on the speed and intensity of your climbing, but it is generally around 4 to 9. For example, climbing stairs at a slow pace has a MET value of 4, while climbing stairs at a fast pace has a MET value of 9.
Using this formula, you can calculate the calories burned climbing stairs for different scenarios. For example, if you weigh 70 kg and climb stairs at a slow pace for 15 minutes, you can estimate the calories burned as follows:
Calories burned = 4 x 70 x 0.25
Calories burned = 70 calories
If you weigh 70 kg and climb stairs at a fast pace for 15 minutes, you can estimate the calories burned as follows:
Calories burned = 9 x 70 x 0.25
Calories burned = 157.5 calories
Of course, these are only rough estimates, and the actual calories burned may vary depending on your individual factors and the accuracy of the MET values. To get a more accurate estimate, you can use a device such as a fitness tracker, a heart rate monitor, or a smartwatch, that can measure your actual energy expenditure based on your heart rate, movement, and other parameters.
Reference
- Jenkins, E. M., Nairn, L. N., Skelly, L. E., Little, J. P., & Gibala, M. J. (2019). Do stair climbing exercise “snacks” improve cardiorespiratory fitness?. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 44(6), 681-6841
- Lo, M. C. (2017). Walking right to avoid illness. Taipei: Business Weekly Publications
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