Average or brisk walking paces are connected with at least 35 to 43 lower risks of all heart rhythm abnormalities
A fast-walking pace can help you lower the risk of developing heart rhythm abnormalities by speeding up your walking pace. According to a new study published in the journal Heart, average or brisk walking paces are connected with at least 35 to 43 per cent lower risks of all heart rhythm abnormalities, as compared with a slow pace.
Scientists from the University of Glasgow, who conducted the research, believe the abnormalities - arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation, bradyarrhythmias, and ventricular arrhythmias are the most common arrhythmias, characterised by irregular and rapid heartbeats beginning in the upper chambers of the heart.
Bradyarrhythmias can lead to abnormally slow heart rates of typically below 60 beats per minute, as compared with the normal range of 60 to 100 beats. On the other hand, ventricular arrhythmias happen when the lower chambers of your heart—also known as ventricles—beat way too fast.
“The great thing about walking is that it is accessible to everyone,” said senior study author Dr. Jill Pell, the Henry Mechan Professor of Public Health at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. “You don’t need to spend money going to a gym or buying equipment. You can just walk out of your front door and keep going.”
Globally, an estimated 33.5 million people are affected by atrial fibrillation, and experts believe the number is only expected to increase, with projections suggesting 12.1 million in the US by 2050 and 17.9 million in Europe by 2060. The prevalence of AF has been rising since the 1990s, influenced by factors like population ageing, improved survival rates, and enhanced detection methods.
According to doctors, those with arrhythmias are at higher risk of having heart attacks or strokes and dying early.
“There are medicines and procedures that can be offered to these people, but it would be preferable to prevent heart rhythm abnormalities from occurring in the first place,” said Pell.
How was the study conducted?
According to Pell, his team studied health and activity data from adults recruited between 2006 and 2010 for the UK Biobank study - which followed the health outcomes of more than 500,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 in the United Kingdom. Questionnaires included the pace of walking—whether it was slow (less than 4.8 kilometres per ho average to 6.4 kilometres per hour) or brisk (6.4 kilometres per hour).
In the 13-year span of the study, at least 9 per cent of the participants had developed arrhythmias.
How much should you walk to reduce the risk of arrhythmias?
According to Pell, who studied the data carefully, an average walking pace of 4.8 to 6.4 kilometres per hour for just 5-10 minutes was enough to reduce the risk of this life-threatening condition.
“We had data on self-reported walking pace from more than 420,000 people, but we also had accelerometry data on (nearly) 82,000 of these,” Pell said, referring to data from watches that track movement speed. “The data from the watches showed that walking at an average pace (3-4 miles per hour) for only 5-15 minutes per day was sufficient to reduce your risk.”
According to experts, the beneficial effect of a faster pace or brisk walking is due to the fact that it helps reduce cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure and makes you less likely to put on weight, thereby also lowering your risk of heart rate abnormalities.
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