- With each 1 percent increment in step variability, there was an increase in energy consumption.
- READ MORE: Experts claim that 10,000 steps daily isn’t a guaranteed solution.
Reaching 10,000 steps daily has become a widespread health objective for many people around the globe.
However, a more efficient option might prove effective for shedding pounds, according to experts.
Walking with an irregular pace might aid in burning additional calories compared to taking evenly measured strides, according to research.
American researchers monitoring the activity of 18 fit participants found that with each 1 percent increase in stride variation, there was a corresponding 0.7 percent hike in energy consumption.
The study indicated that inconsistent steps 'have a minor but notable impact' on the energy expended during walking, according to the researchers.
The team failed to gauge the number of calories burnt by the participants.
Nevertheless, Adam Grimmitt, a co-author of the study and an expert in exercise physiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst stated, 'It seems reasonable to infer that greater and more frequent fluctuations in step length could lead to an increased metabolic rate during walking.'
In the study, the participants—ranging from 24 years old and averaging 11 stone 1 pound (70.5 kg)—were instructed to walk at their usual pace for five minutes on a treadmill.
A motion capture system documented their typical stride length at a usual pace of 1.2 meters per second.
They then manipulated their steps during a second 5-minute treadmill walk by lighting it up where they wanted participants to step.
Positions were adjusted by as much as five and 10 percent below and above the typical stride length.
Each volunteer was equipped with a mouthpiece that measured their carbon dioxide output, which increases during physical activity.
The discoveries, shared on a pre-print server, bioRxiv The researchers suggest that when individuals transition between maintaining stability with small steps and large steps, it can lead to increased muscle contractions and higher metabolic costs.
'Their findings indicate that a 2.7 percent rise in step length variability could lead to a 1.7 percent hike in the energy needed for walking,' they noted.
'The variation in step length has a moderate but notable impact on the energy expended during walking.'
The research might be most applicable to elderly individuals, especially those with neurological disorders, since their walking patterns include 'higher step length variability,' they explained.
Scientists, nonetheless, recognized that adjusting lengths in 5 percent increments differs from actual variations observed in walking patterns.
The participants still found it challenging to maintain precision when adjusting their stride lengths without extra guidance, they noted.
'Future research ought to measure the precision of foot placement and muscular activity across comparable virtual projections.'
Read more
0 Comments