Using stairs, wherever possible, is a quick and easy way to break away from a sedentary lifestyle and increase physical activity. Stairs are usually available everywhere, making them much more accessible than going to the gym or engaging in sports activities. Let’s explore the benefits and limitations of stair climbing.
Yes, it's true. Studies have shown that climbing stairs is considered a strenuous activity. Climbing stairs requires 8 to 9 times more energy than sitting and 7 times more energy than using an elevator. The benefits of climbing stairs include burning calories, reducing the risk of stroke, improving cardiovascular health, and strengthening muscles. However, these benefits are only achievable if you don’t have issues with your knees or other joints. If you do, it’s important to consult a doctor before engaging in stair climbing.
Research has shown that stair climbing has a number of health benefits, but it's important to follow the correct approach. Here are a few of the benefits:
Studies have shown that climbing stairs burns more calories than running. Climbing stairs requires 8 to 9 times more energy than sitting and 7 times more energy than using an elevator. The more you weigh, the more calories you burn when climbing stairs.
Research has shown that climbing stairs can reduce the risk of stroke. For example, men who climbed stairs 3 to 5 times a day saw a 29% reduction in the risk of stroke in the long term.
Since stair climbing is a form of intense exercise, it benefits cardiovascular health and improves heart health in the long term. Decades of research have shown that regular exercise helps maintain heart health and can prevent cardiovascular diseases.
When climbing stairs, which parts of your body do you engage most? All the muscles in your legs, along with your core and arms. Additionally, your back and spine muscles are involved. This strengthens and improves the skeletal system, and since using skeletal muscles helps boost metabolism, it can also lead to more calorie burning and long-term weight loss.
Also, lean muscle mass increases, and muscle strength improves. Research has shown that using skeletal muscles has an incredible impact on improving blood sugar levels, which is effective in preventing and controlling diabetes. Moreover, general skeletal muscle health improvement can reduce arthritis pain, particularly for overweight individuals.
Many studies have pointed to the impact of a sedentary lifestyle in today’s world as a major factor in the global rise of obesity. Using stairs, whenever possible, is a quick and simple way to escape a sedentary lifestyle and increase physical activity in daily life. Even adding just 15 minutes of aerobic activity to a sedentary routine can increase life expectancy by up to three years.
Dr. Alireza Moqaddari, a physical medicine specialist, says that while climbing stairs is considered a strenuous physical activity, if proper principles are not followed, especially for patients with heart problems, it may have harmful effects. Therefore, individuals should keep the following points in mind to ensure their safety and prevent injury:
If the height of the stairs exceeds the standard, it may cause more harm, especially when going up or down, particularly when descending.
Even if the stairs are standard, it is recommended to climb them one step at a time. First place your right foot on the second step, then place your left foot on the same step, and repeat this pattern. Until you reach the second floor, where you should still not be feeling muscular fatigue, you can continue this method.
If you climb stairs rapidly, it can cause friction in the knee joint and damage the joint surface. For this reason, you should rest on landings and continue to climb one step at a time.
If you have heart problems, it is better to take short breaks at each landing after climbing 7 to 8 steps.
If you suffer from back or knee pain and need to use stairs in the absence of an elevator, it's better to climb stairs sideways, leaning against the wall, and climbing one step at a time.
This should especially be followed when descending stairs. You should lean against the wall, place one foot, then the other, on a lower step. This also applies when descending from a slope.
All the benefits of stair climbing are achievable only if you don't have issues with your spine or knees. Otherwise, you should consult a doctor before using stairs.
Dr. Rahmatollah Hafizi, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, states: descending stairs can be risky for individuals suffering from knee osteoarthritis, hip joint arthritis, severe disc herniation, or osteoporosis.
For these individuals, climbing stairs isn't usually problematic, but they should be cautious and move slowly while holding onto the stair railing to avoid joint strain. The most damage occurs when these individuals descend stairs quickly, as this can put excessive strain on the ankle joints, knees, hips, and spinal discs.
For those with these conditions, it is recommended to descend stairs slowly, one step at a time. Moving one step at a time means placing the left foot next to the right on a step, pausing briefly, and then placing the left foot on the lower step before placing the right foot next to it, to reduce joint strain.
Using the railing while descending stairs is helpful, as it transfers some of your body weight onto the railing, reducing the pressure on the joints.
For individuals with osteoporosis, extra caution is needed when descending stairs. Always use the railing to prevent imbalance and avoid falls, as falls in these individuals increase the risk of bone fractures.
Dr. Vahid Subhani, a physical medicine specialist, believes that while stair climbing burns a significant amount of energy and can lead to noticeable weight loss, it should not be relied on as a primary method for weight loss.
This method of weight loss is only suitable for individuals who are physically fit, meaning they exercise 1 to 2 times a week, as this method is highly detrimental without strong muscles and muscle endurance.
For overweight individuals, climbing stairs can put several times their body weight on their knee joints, easily leading to knee osteoarthritis, which over time severely affects the spine as well.
Even though more than 1,000 calories can be burned, the decrease in the threshold tolerance of the joints and muscles can result in significant muscular and joint weakness, which, over time, leads to osteoarthritis and other irreversible problems. Therefore, relying on stair climbing for burning calories and quick weight loss is not recommended.
