• Fitness

A Simple Secret: Why Walking is Ideal for Seniors?

“Here’s what you need to know.” 

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Aging changes the human body in myriad ways. But even with those changes, seniors’ bodies have many of the same needs as the bodies of their younger counterparts.

Exercise is one thing the human body needs regardless of how old it is. But some exercises are better suited for particular demographics than others. Walking, for example, is an ideal activity for seniors, some of whom may be surprised to learn just how beneficial a daily stroll can be.

· Walking strengthens bones and muscles: The Mayo Clinic notes that regular brisk walking strengthens bones and muscles. Intensity is important when looking to walking to improve muscle strength. A 2015 study published in the journal Exercises and Sports Sciences Reviews found that achieving a 70 to 80 percent heart rate reserve during workouts lasting at least 40 minutes four to five days per week can help build muscle strength. GoodRx defines heart rate reserve as the difference between your resting and maximum heart rate, so it’s important that seniors looking to walking to build muscle strength exhibit more intensity during a workout walk than they might during a recreational stroll.

· Walking helps seniors maintain a healthy weight: Overweight and obesity are risk factors for a host of chronic illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. The Mayo Clinic notes walking can help seniors keep pounds off and maintain a healthy weight. In fact, SilverSneakers® reports that a 155-pound person burns around 133 calories walking for 30 minutes at a 17-minutes-per-mile pace. A slight increase in intensity to 15 minutes per mile can help that same person burn an additional 42 calories.

· Walking lowers seniors’ risk for various diseases: It’s long been known that walking is a great way for seniors to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease. In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society noted in 1996 that walking more than four hours per week was associated with a significantly reduced risk of being hospitalized for cardiovascular disease. How significant is that reduction? A 2023 report from the American Heart Association indicated people age 70 and older who walked an additional 500 steps per day had a 14 percent lower risk for heart disease, stroke or heart failure. In addition, the Department of Health with the Victoria State Government in Australia reports walking also helps seniors reduce their risk for colon cancer and diabetes.

· Walking boosts mental health:  Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health note that replacing one hour of sitting with one hour of a moderate activity like brisk walking can have a measurable and positive effect on mental health. The researchers behind the study, which was published in the journal Psychiatry in 2019, saw a 26 percent decrease in odds for becoming depressed with each major increase in objectively measured physical activity.

Walking can benefit all people, but might be uniquely beneficial for seniors.

Walking is free, which undoubtedly appeals to seniors living on fixed incomes, and it’s also a moderate intensity activity that won’t tax seniors’ bodies. Such benefits suggest walking and seniors are a perfect match.