Walk Your Way to Wellness

a person checks their heart rate on fitness watch

Physical Therapy and Heart Health

If you’re trying to improve your heart health, it’s as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

Perhaps hearing that alone is enough to get you out the door to get on a regular walking routine, but maybe you need just a little more information. Maybe you have some lingering questions.

Why Walking Matters: The Heart Health Facts You Should Know

February is recognized as American Heart Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)heart disease accounts for 1 in every 5 deaths nationwide. High blood pressure is a significant risk factor, affecting nearly half of U.S. adults, with only about 25% having it under control.

The American Heart Association (AHA) highlights that coronary heart disease (CHD) was responsible for 371,506 deaths in 2022, accounting for 39.5% of all cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths in the United States. 

Furthermore, the AHA reports that approximately every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. experiences a myocardial infarction (heart attack). The estimated annual incidence includes 605,000 new attacks and 200,000 recurrent attacks, with the average age at first heart attack being 65.6 years for males and 72.0 years for females.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) emphasizes the importance of knowing your key health numbers—such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and body mass index (BMI)—to assess your risk for heart disease. Monitoring these numbers can help you take proactive steps toward maintaining heart health.

Additionally, NHLBI encourages participation in the #OurHearts movement, which promotes working with friends and family to achieve heart health together. Engaging in group activities, such as walking, can provide mutual support and motivation, making it easier to maintain healthy habits.

Engaging in activities like walking can significantly contribute to heart health by lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and reducing the likelihood of heart attacks.

How fast or hard do I need to walk for it to benefit my heart?

With all of the wearable devices available on the market today, it’s easy to overcomplicate things. A simple and effective way to assess your level of exertion is to use the talk test. You need to walk at a brisk enough pace that you can’t sing, but you can talk. If you can only speak one or two words at a time you are walking too hard, but if you can belt out your favorite song, you need to pick up the pace.

How far or long do my walks need to be to make an impact on heart health?

Recently, on March 1, 2023, the University of Cambridge published an article stating that walking briskly for as little as 75 minutes a week — just 11 minutes a day — can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. 

This is good news for those who are intimidated by the American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommendation of at least 150 minutes (about 2 and a half hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. At half the time, the 75-minute mark came with significant health benefits, researchers concluded, including a 17-percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is a great place to start, and once 75 minutes becomes easily manageable, gradual increases will eventually add up to the full AHA recommendation.

An older couple enjoying a walk together while smiling and laughing

In fact, the AHA recently reported about a new study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, which found that for every additional 500 steps walked each day by those age 70 and older, the risk for heart disease, stroke and heart failure dropped by 14 percent. For an average person, 500 steps is about ¼ mile, which takes between five and seven minutes.

What if I’m worried about walking?

If walking too far is a safety concern for you then start with 5-10-minute walks within your house and in your yard, around the block, or along a route that you know has places to rest. If you’re unsure walking continuously for 5 minutes is within your abilities at this time, or you have other health concerns such as a cardiac history or fear of falling, a physical therapist can help!

woman balance training

A physical therapist will take your vitals at rest, during exercise, and after exercise to ensure your heart can handle the demands of increased activity. Once your physical therapist determines your activity tolerance, they’ll work with you to create a custom program designed to increase strength and aerobic capacity to ensure a safe progression to prolonged walking.

If you feel like you’re off-balance a lot and starting a walking routine makes you nervous, a physical therapist can work with you to boost your balance. A few simple moves might be all you need to add to your days to increase the strength in muscles that provide you with stability and support, thus reducing your risk of injury. In fact, lack of lower body strength and flexibility is one of four common causes of walking injuries, all of which are preventable.

Is walking enough?

You can walk your way to wellness, all it takes is a commitment to putting one foot in front of the other! For many, starting and sticking to a walking program is the biggest challenge. The thing about challenges is they usually have solutions. You can discover success with movement, and, when it comes to a new exercise routine, you can start small for big change!

Walking is a safe and effective way to not only improve aerobic capacity, but also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It’s an ideal form of exercise because you can do it just about anytime, anywhere! 

If you need help getting started, a physical therapist can perform an objective assessment to ensure your heart can tolerate the demands of walking, and develop a custom plan, meeting you where you are, to get you moving.

walking on a treadmill
hands holding a heart shape

Walk More For Your Heart

This Heart Month, prioritize your heart health with movement! As physical therapists, we know that staying active is key to overall well-being. Our passion is helping you reach your goals and live a heart-healthy, pain-free life. Take the first step — get started with physical therapy today!

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