What are the health benefits of walking up stairs?

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What are the health benefits of walking upstairs?

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Have you ever heard of the stairs test? Experts say it's an excellent gauge of a person's overall health. The idea is to run up as many flights of stairs your body allows you to. If you can't manage two flights at a brisk pace, you may need to consider lifestyle changes to improve your health. Meanwhile, if you can climb eight or more, the chances are you're in excellent health already. But beyond being a good health indicator, taking the stairs is a fantastic way to stay in shape. It combines muscle strengthening and cardio respiratory work. Whether it's in public transport, at your workplace, or even at home, I'm sure you can think of an opportunity to fit some stair climbing into your daily routine. What does climbing stairs do to the body then? It engages all the muscles in the lower body and the glutes and quadriceps in particular. If you climb on your tiptoes or hop, your calves become even more active. But regardless of the specific way in which you climb stairs, it's a surefire way to enhance your overall physical condition, as well as your balance and coordination.

It also serves as an excellent cardio workout and will see you burn some calories along the way. According to verywellfit.com, you burn 5 calories per minute walking slowly up stairs, which rises to 11 calories per minute if you climb at a fast speed.

To mitigate the risk of cardiovascular diseases, various studies have recommended climbing at least 50 steps per day, including one by researchers at Tulane University in the United States, which was published in 2023 You can start out at a slow, comfortable pace and then gradually build up the intensity. Why is it sometimes so challenging? Propelling your body upwards against gravity requires a significant amount of energy. When going up a flight of stairs, our heart rate increases to pump more oxygenated blood to our muscles. This often results in breathlessness, especially for those who don't exercise regularly. A 2017 study from the British Heart Foundation classified over 20 million UK adults as physically inactive, which meant they had an increased risk of heart disease. If you experience unexpected breathlessness, chest pain or joint discomfort when going upstairs, you should book an appointment with your GP and let them know. Is going downstairs also beneficial? When going down, your thighs act as breaks, with the back of your thighs being particularly active. Going downstairs places less strain on the heart and respiratory system but still has its benefits as it stretches the muscles. In any case, remember that the NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week. That could be going up or downstairs, walking or cycling to work, or even something as simple as getting off the bus or subway one stop earlier to walk a little further. It might not seem like much, but these small habits make a real difference. Websites like realsimple.com and runnersworld.com also have full stair workout guides on their pages. There you have it.

Now you know what the health benefits of walking upstairs are. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts, and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know for sure.