Researchers in Scotland say adding a little pep to your step may lower your risk of developing serious heart rhythm issues.
The study found that brisk walking can protect individuals from irregular and potentially deadly heartbeat problems. Notably, the study found that walking faster was especially beneficial for women and people under 60.
The researchers classified brisk walking as maintaining a pace of over four miles an hour. They found the length of time spent at that pace also impacted an increased risk of heart rhythm abnormalities, like atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, and bradycardia.
Heart rhythm abnormalities, also known as arrhythmias, are linked to higher chances of having a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke. Although the pace at which one walks has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, until now, little research has been done on the activity’s impact on heart rhythm abnormalities.
For the study, the researchers examined walking speed data from over 420,000 participants in the UK. Nearly 82,000 participants also had data showing how long they walked at different speeds.
Over an average period of 13 years, 36,574 of the participants (9% of the group) developed heart rhythm abnormalities. After adjusting the results for factors like demographics and lifestyle, the researchers discovered that those recording an average walking pace of 3-4 mph had a 35% lower risk of heart rhythm abnormalities. In contrast, those recording a brisk walking pace of 4+ mph saw even greater benefit, with a 43% lower risk.
Average and brisk walking speeds were also linked to reduced chances of developing atrial fibrillation, with average-speed walkers having a 38% lower risk and brisk walkers seeing a 46% risk reduction. Cardiac arrhythmias were also lower for average and brisk walkers, at 21% and 39%, respectively.
The researchers say that while no evidence showed that walking at a slow pace was correlated to higher chances of developing heart rhythm abnormalities, they found that longer periods of walking at an average or brisk speed resulted in a 27% lower risk.
“This study is the first to explore the pathways underpinning the association between walking pace and arrhythmias, and to provide evidence that metabolic and inflammatory factors may have a role,” said the study’s author, Dr. Jill Pell of the School of Health and Well-being at the University of Glasgow, per talker.
“Walking faster decreased the risk of obesity and inflammation, which, in turn, reduced the risk of arrhythmia.”