Nordic walking is superior to other types of exercise in cardiovascular rehabilitation programs for long-term functional improvement, a study has found.
Nordic walking is a walking method using a pole, also called pole walking, and the upper body muscles are stimulated more than normal walking method. A 40% increase in energy consumption was reported compared to walking without a pole.
Cardiovascular rehabilitation and exercise training programs following serious cardiovascular problems are known to significantly improve functional performance, cardiorespiratory health, and mental health. However, there are people who find monotonous exercise such as indoor cycling or walking boring and unable to continue exercise following the rehabilitation program is over.
Researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in Canada investigated what more attractive exercises might appeal to people in order to encourage and benefit more people to continue exercising.
The researchers compared the long-term effects of a 12-week rehabilitation program using three types of exercise: high-intensity interval exercise, moderate to intense continuous exercise, and Nordic walking on functional ability, quality of life, and depression symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease. 130 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups and underwent a 14-week observation phase.
The results showed that all exercise programs improved depression symptoms and quality of life. Functional ability, i.e., ability to perform activities of daily living, improved the most following Nordic walking (+19%) compared to high-intensity interval training (+13%) and moderate-to-high-intensity continuous exercise (+12%).
“This is an important finding because it is predicted that the lower the functional capacity, the higher the risk of future cardiovascular problems in patients with coronary artery disease,” the researchers said.
According to the researchers, Nordic walking may have significantly improved functional ability because it uses both the core and upper and lower body muscles while reducing the load on the knee.
The results of this randomized clinical trial were published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology under the title ‘Sustained Effects of Different Exercise Modalities on Physical and Mental Health in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial’.
Reporter Jeong Hee-eun [email protected]
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