[Stairs. Photo Credit to Pixabay] 

Dr. Sophie Paddock, a member of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, has found that climbing stairs significantly reduces the risk of mortality, particularly from cardiovascular disease.

The research, which conducted a meticulous meta-analysis of nine studies examining the health benefits of stair climbing, enlisted a total of 480, 479 participants.

These participants, aged 35 to 84 years old, comprised a balanced distribution of genders, with males accounting for 47% and females for 53%.

The participants consisted of healthy people as well as those with a former history of heart attack or peripheral artery disease (PAD), a disease of the blood vessels outside the heart and brain.

Through the meta-analysis, researchers were able to increase the sample size, thereby enhancing the statistical power to detect effects that may be missed in individual studies with smaller sample sizes.

Based on the outcomes, Dr. Sophie reported that participants who climbed stairs had a 24% reduced risk of death during the study period, compared to those who did not climb stairs.

Moreover, stair climbers exhibited a remarkable 39% decrease in mortality risk specifically attributable to cardiovascular disease, accompanied by a diminished overall risk of cardiovascular ailments including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

These results therefore imply that stair climbers were able to improve their heart conditions by promoting longevity.

Dr. Sophie found a reason for this phenomenon, based on her studies of cardiovascular health and thoracic activity.

When people climb stairs, they engage in aerobic exercise, meaning that the heart rate increases as people exert themselves.

Over time, the heart muscle gets stronger due to this process, which makes the heart pump blood more effectively to supply oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, especially the climbing muscles in the legs.

People also get to perform resistance exercises when they climb, with each step requiring people to lift their body weight against gravity.

This action enables the engagement of muscles in the legs, especially in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, which builds muscle strength and endurance in the lower body.

Additionally, stair-climbing is also known as a “calorie-burning” activity, showing the way calories burn as people expend energy.

When combined with a balanced diet, this contributes to weight management, which is crucial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease as excess weight leads to conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

Together, stair-climbing allows cardiovascular exercise, a resistance exercise, connected to caloric expenditure and weight management, which decreases the overall mortality rate and enhances thoracic balance.

Dr. Sophie emphasized the significance of the promotion of physical activity and the health benefits across diverse populations.

Stair climbing, she highlighted, offers a readily accessible form of exercise that amalgamates cardiovascular and resistance training benefits, thereby enhancing overall well-being.

Her study also involved various populations, including individuals with and without a history of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that stair climbing can benefit people across different health statuses.

It therefore signifies that stair climbing can be suggested as a preventable measure for individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease as well as those looking to maintain their cardiovascular health.

In her concluding remarks, Dr. Sophie underscored the feasibility of incorporating short bouts of stair climbing into daily routines, emphasizing the profound health benefits from even brief bursts of physical activity.