Sometimes a small lifestyle change can make a significant difference in health. A meta-analysis recently presented at a European Society of Cardiology meeting found that climbing stairs may cut a person’s risk of death from any cause by about one-fourth. In a statement presenting the results, the authors advised people to avoid elevators in favor of taking the stairs.
“If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart,” study author Dr. Sophie Paddock, of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and the Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, said in the statement. “Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.”
Study Findings
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for most ethnic groups in the United States. Yet the meta-analysis authors note that it is largely preventable through lifestyle practices, such as exercise. However, more than one in four of the adult population in the world do not reach the recommended goals of physical activity per week, the authors noted.Climbing stairs is a widely available activity, so the authors undertook the meta-analysis to determine if it could decrease cardiovascular disease risk and early death. The investigation included nine studies with 480,479 participants, ranging in age from 35 to 84, with slightly more than half being women. Some of the participants were healthy, while others had a history of heart attacks or peripheral artery disease.
A comparison of climbing stairs with not climbing stairs showed that the activity linked to a 24 percent reduction in the likelihood of death from any cause. Stair climbing was also associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease—including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure—along with a 39 percent lower risk of death from such conditions.
“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives. Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits—but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs,” Dr. Paddock said.
Climbing Stairs for Metabolic Syndrome
Prior research indicates that climbing stairs offers additional benefits, including a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome. This refers to a cluster of symptoms that involve high blood pressure, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated triglyceride levels, and high fasting blood glucose levels.A 2021 study published in BMC Public Health concurs with the recent meta-analysis, as it indicates that physical activity can provide benefits even if it accrues during the day through brief bursts. Researchers previously thought that exercise had to be of at least a 10-minute duration to offer positive health changes.
The authors noted that because climbing stairs involves lifting one’s weight against gravity, it can be energetically costly, depending on the duration and intensity. After examining data from 782 participants, those who self-reported climbing stairs daily had lower weight, healthier cholesterol levels, and decreased blood pressure. They also experienced a reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome compared with those who did not climb stairs.
Climbing stairs may help protect against metabolic syndrome, the authors concluded. That said, they noted that repeated sessions of stair climbing per day rather than a single episode would be necessary to provide the benefit.
Climbing Stairs May Elevate Mood
Short bouts of climbing stairs may also boost mood and cognition, according to a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology. After investigating the effects of the activity on 32 graduate students with a median age of 19.4 years, the results showed that it improved cognitive performance for challenging tasks in males but not in females. Both sexes experienced a reduction in negative mood, such as feeling less tired and tense, as well as an increase in feeling energized.Climbing Stairs to Test Heart Health
Climbing stairs offers an easy test for heart health, researchers discovered in a study presented at a 2020 meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). It found that climbing four flights of stairs in less than a minute suggested good heart health, the study authors reported in a statement.“The stairs test is an easy way to check your heart health,” study author Dr. Jesús Peteiro, a cardiologist at University Hospital A Coruña, Spain, said in the statement. “If it takes you more than one-and-a-half minutes to ascend four flights of stairs, your health is suboptimal, and it would be a good idea to consult a doctor.”
Who Are Not Good Candidates?
Climbing stairs is great for cardiovascular health, Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told The Epoch Times in an email. She pointed to a 2023 study, which found that climbing more than five flights of stairs per day was linked to a more than 20 percent lower risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.“However, not everyone should be going up and down stairs every day,” Dr. Mehta warned. “For example, those with severe valve disease, severe heart failure, underlying lung conditions, or debilitating joint issues may have trouble climbing the stairs. They should talk to their doctor about this and other forms of exercise.”
If people are completely out of breath after climbing two flights of stairs, they should ask their doctor whether to continue, she advised.
It could be that they’re short-winded because of weight gain or simply out of shape, Dr. Mehta said.
“In contrast, sometimes shortness of breath is caused by a significant medical issue,” she said.
How to Start a Stair-Climbing Program
As with any type of exercise program, it is important for individuals to start slowly and not exceed their current fitness levels, Calum Fraser, an Australian physiotherapist, told The Epoch Times in an email.“This is the key thing to remember,” he said. “To avoid overdoing, don’t go over a 7-out-of-10 rate of perceived exertion in the first few weeks. Afterward, increase the number of stairs but limit sessions to 2 to 3 per week until your exertion feels comfortable and your legs feel strong enough. Later, gradually increase both the number of stairs and sessions.”
Starting slowly is not only necessary to prevent heart overexertion, but it is also needed to avoid harm to the leg joints, according to Mr. Fraser. If a person hasn’t been active and tends to avoid stairs, an overly vigorous start is sure to lead to a knee injury, he said. It is best to watch for leg tightness and do leg stretches to foster recovery after climbing stairs.
In an email to The Epoch Times, Andrew White, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer, also issued precautions to avoid an injury.
“You should pay attention to how you feel during and after exercise. If you experience pain, particularly in the knees, back off and consider consulting with a physical therapist,” he said.
Mr. White urged a focus on form when climbing stairs. He recommended maintaining good posture by keeping the back straight and looking forward rather than down at the feet. If needed, he said, people can use the railing for balance, but they need to avoid leaning on it too heavily. Good posture also involves placing the entire foot on each step to reduce the impact on the knees, Mr. White said.
Safety is always an integral part of any exercise program, he said.
“Carry a water bottle and wear sturdy, comfortable shoes with good grip and support to prevent slips and falls,” Mr. White said.
