Nordic Walking Is Superior to Other Kinds of Exercise in Improving Heart Health, Long-Term Functional Capacity, Study Says

Researchers found that Nordic walking significantly increased the functional capacity or the ability to perform daily activities of people who went through severe cardiovascular events. They identified it as a better exercise method than the standard cardiovascular rehabilitation and exercise training programs.

Cardiovascular rehabilitation includes high-intensity interval training and moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training associated with improved functional capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and mental health. But with Nordic walking, patients with coronary artery disease resulted in an enhanced quality of life.

What Is Nordic Walking?

According to British Nordic Walking, Nordic walking is an enhanced walking technique that uses poles to promote exercise in the upper body and legs. Walking with Nordic poles burns more calories than conventional walking because it gives a highly effective overall workout. More so, it is a fun and social activity that can be enjoyed by other people in parks or the open countryside.

Not to be confused with trekking, but Nordic walking enhances the natural walking experience with a technique similar to the upper body action while skiing. It is also a whole-body exercise that can be enjoyed at low, medium, or high-intensity levels. It is estimated that around 10 million people worldwide practice this type of walking.

Cardiologist Aaron Baggish told Harvard Health Publishing that muscles below the waist are activated when walking without the poles, but adding Nordic poles could also activate the muscles of the upper body since it engages 80% to 90% of the muscles compared to only 50% without poles. That means Nordic walking provides a substantial calorie-burning effect.

Studies show that Nordic walking burns 18% to 67% more calories than regular walking and is also associated with reductions in fat mass, "bad" LD cholesterol, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and waist circumference. Along with that are the increased "good" HDL cholesterol, endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular, and quality of life.

Nordic Walking Good for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Researchers of the new study were set to find out if they could encourage people to keep exercising and see what advantages they might get, SciTech Daily reported. They compared Nordic walking to high-intensity interval training and found that the former is more advanced since it better involves upper and lower body muscles.

Researchers compared Nordic walking to high-intensity interval training and moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training during a 12-week rehabilitation program to see how they affect the functional capacity, quality of life, and symptoms of depression among patients with coronary artery disease.

They found that although all exercise programs improved depression symptoms and quality of life, Nordic walking has the greatest positive impact. Lead investigator Jennifer L. Reed, Ph.D., explained that Nordic walking engages core, upper and lower body muscles while reducing stress on the knee, resulting in better functional capacity.

The study, titled "Sustained Effects of Different Exercise Modalities on Physical and Mental Health in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial," published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, is the first research to directly compare the long-term effects of the three types of exercises.

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