Your Pathway to Fitness
Is Walking or Running Right for You?
Fall is upon us with the promise of crisp, cool days on the horizon. If you haven’t already, now might be the perfect time to give running or walking a try. Both activities provide many health benefits, as well as opportunities to enjoy plenty of fresh air and the great outdoors— a welcome antidote we all can appreciate, particularly during COVID-19.
It’s a given that walking and running are two convenient modes of physical activity that don’t require much more than a great pair of athletic shoes. All one needs to do is grab those sneakers and head out the door. But have you ever wondered how walking measures up to running in terms of health benefit?
All Things Being Equal “First of all, people who don’t like to run should feel no shame because both walking and running involve movement and mobility that are good for our joints. Both of these weight-bearing activities help to cycle the joint fluid through—in effect, cleaning out some of the inflammatory mediators that can develop into arthritis. From an orthopedic standpoint, I don’t consider one to be better than the other. It’s just a matter of choosing which appeals to you the most,” says Dr. Andrew Ebert, Warren Clinic orthopedic sports surgeon who specializes in arthroscopic treatment of joint injuries. “And as far as
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running is concerned, many assume it will cause damage to their joints. I think it is important for people to know there are no studies to support that. In fact, running may be protective against osteoarthritis and the need for related surgeries. What we do know, however, is that long-term participation in high contact sports such as football and basketball can cause joint damage.” So here are the obvious differences between running and walking: running is faster, which makes for a higher intensity workout, a more exaggerated increase in heart rate and a greater number of calories burned. Whereas walking is a lower-impact activity that is likely to be a safer and more sustainable option—plus a longer walk can achieve the same calorie burn as running. If you want to ramp up your walking routine, consider walking in different terrain, utilize hills or inclines and pick up the pace. No matter which one is your choice of exercise, walking or running, the point is that they both have tremendous health benefits.
