How to check your heart health
How to check your heart health: Take the stairs
Wondering what shape your ticker’s in? The answer might lie on the humble staircase.
Being able to climb 60 stairs – or four flights – in under 60 seconds signals good heart health, according to research presented at a 2020 scientific congress of the https://www.escardio.org/.../Test-your-heart-health-by....
“If it takes you more than one-and-a-half minutes to ascend four flights of stairs, your health is suboptimal, and it would be a good idea to consult a doctor,” he added.
One hundred and sixty-five people with known or suspected coronary artery disease took part in the study, which involved them walking or running on a treadmill to the point of exhaustion and having their exercise capacity measured as metabolic equivalents (METs).
Following a rest period, participants took to the stairs as fast as possible, without running.
The researchers compared the METs recorded during the treadmill test with the speed of the stair climb.
Those who smashed out the stair climb in less than 40-45 seconds had an exercise capacity of more than 9-10 METs while those who took longer to ascend the stairs (at least 90 seconds) clocked less than 8 METs.
During exercise, higher METs are linked to better health outcomes.
Now for the bigger picture
While stair climbing is a convenient and cost-effective way to put your heart to the test, it should be done with caution (if at all) and the results not taken as gospel.
Natalie Raffoul, Risk Reduction Manager at Australia’s Heart Foundation, says our heart health is determined by many factors, not just our fitness.
“How active you are is an important part of assessing your risk of developing heart disease, but it should be considered along with other important risk factors … including other aspects of your lifestyle and medical history,” she says, citing age, sex, smoking and diabetes status, body mass index, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and any associated medication, plus family history of heart attack or stroke before age 60.
“Clinical guidelines recommend that your doctor considers all of your risk factors when assessing your risk of developing heart disease,” she says.
It’s worth noting that in the stair climbing study, 32 per cent of fast climbers showed abnormal heart function during the treadmill test, meaning a good stair-climbing result doesn’t guarantee a healthy heart.
There are also some people for which stair climbing workouts or tests aren’t ideal, such as those with mobility or joint problems.
“Climbing stairs is hard on the knee joint,” retired paediatric cardiologist, educator and author Dr Deane Waldman told Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/.../how-fast-can-you-climb-4...).
So, if you’re considering taking the stairway to fitness, ask yourself if you should check in with your doc first.