Effects of Descending Stair Walking on Health and Fitness

Wiveka hiking at Robberg Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

Eccentric exercise training produces positive fitness and health outcomes, but whether this is also the case for descending stair walking is unknown for most people. A study presented in NIH, National Library of Medicine showed that descending stair walking improved insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles and physical fitness better than ascending stair walking.

In this study, one group was walking upstairs and the other group was walking downstairs 2 days a week for 12 weeks. The group that was descending stairs (walking downstairs) had after the study better leg strength, balance, insulin sensitivity and resting heart rate, compared to the group that was ascending stairs (walking upstairs). However, it is better for condition to ascend the stairs.

The difference between ascending or descending the stairs is that when we are walking upstairs we shoot away with the muscles. When we are descending the stairs the muscles are resisting and breaks and therefor develops a greater force.