They say climbing stairs likely benefits the heart because it combines cardiovascular and resistance exercise.
Experts say more study is needed to determine whether health benefits increase alongside frequency of stair climbing.
That’s the conclusion of United Kingdom researchers who are reporting that climbing stairs dramatically reduces the risk of dying of any cause and particularly cuts the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
“Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impact and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.” Paddock and her colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of nine studies on the health benefits of stair climbing.
It’s a form of resistance and cardiovascular exercise rolled into one, working your heart, lungs, and muscles simultaneously.
Second, the short bursts of high-intensity effort required during stair climbing can improve cardiorespiratory fitness by challenging the heart and lungs.
“If climbing stairs works for you, then great.
“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives,” said Paddock.
According to research, persons who use stairs reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 39% when compared to non-users.
Because it combines resistance and cardiovascular exercise, they claim that climbing stairs probably has heart-healthy effects.
More research, according to experts, is necessary to ascertain whether the frequency of stair climbing is associated with increased health benefits.
You might live longer if you take the stairs.
According to research from the United Kingdom, taking the stairs significantly lowers one’s risk of dying from any cause, especially cardiovascular disease.
Their research, which hasn’t yet been accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s (ESC) 2024 scientific congress, ESC Preventive Cardiology.
In a press release, Dr. Sophie Paddock, a study author and faculty member at the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, advised choosing the stairs over the elevator if it could benefit your heart. The health benefits of even brief physical activity bursts are well-established, and incorporating short stair climbing sessions into daily routines should be a realistic goal. “.
A meta-analysis of nine studies on the health benefits of stair climbing was carried out by Paddock and her colleagues.
There were 480,479 participants in all the studies, with a fairly equal distribution of males and females. The ages of the participants varied from 35 to 84 years.
Participants in the research included both healthy individuals and those with a history of peripheral arterial disease or heart attacks.
According to the study’s findings, individuals who climbed stairs during the study period had a 24 percent lower chance of passing away than those who did not.
The stairclimbers also had a lower overall risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and a 39 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Preventive cardiologist Dr. Adedapo Iluyomade of the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute in Florida told Medical News Today, “The substantial reductions in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality associated with regular stair climbing underscore the profound impact that even brief bouts of physical activity can have on our health.”.
“These results bolster the idea that cardiovascular health and longevity are best achieved through incremental movement, with the biggest effects often occurring when one moves from inactivity to activity,” said Iluyomade, who did not participate in the study.
Stair climbing “is a fantastic form of exercise that can be easily incorporated into daily life,” according to James Cunningham, a senior coach at the online health and fitness company Total Shape, who spoke with Medical News Today. It works your heart, lungs, and muscles all at once and is a combination of resistance and cardiovascular training. Its twofold advantage probably accounts for part of its longevity associations. “.
Dr. Stair climbing has distinct benefits over walking, another well-liked low-impact exercise, according to Eric J. Hegedus, an orthopaedic specialist, professor, and chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts.
Hegedus, who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today that “stair climbing increases your heart rate over level walking and definitely over stationary activities like sitting, taking an elevator, or using an escalator.”.
He went on, “The rise in heart rate is safe and healthy, but it’s crucial that you have the strength and balance to climb stairs.”. “.
In addition, Hegedus stated that practically any form of exercise is preferable to none at all in terms of enhancing health.
“We have long maintained that exercise is medicine and that it is genuinely helpful for a great deal of the medical conditions that afflict our society today,” he remarked. “Great if climbing stairs is how you get your exercise. If not, pursue an enjoyable activity. Just move, whether it’s through weightlifting, pickleball, yoga, running, or walking. “.
“I would advise starting small and gradually increasing the frequency and duration of stair sessions in order to incorporate more stair climbing into one’s routine,” IIuyomade said. At work or at home, for instance, one could start by using the stairs rather than the elevator—even if it’s just for the first or second flight. They could eventually strive to ascend more flights of stairs or to do so faster. “.
“You can feel motivated and like you’ve accomplished something by setting specific goals, like climbing a certain number of steps a day or week,” he continued. It’s crucial to pay attention to one’s body and adjust the intensity or take breaks as necessary. “.
According to Paddock, the data indicates that the benefits of stair climbing are associated with an increase in cardiovascular exercise frequency; however, further research is required to validate this relationship.
We would advise people to include stair climbing in their daily lives in light of these findings, according to Paddock. “Therefore, use the stairs wherever you are—at work or at home. “.
