- With each 1 percent increment in step variability, there was an increase in energy consumption.
- READ MORE: Experts claim that 10,000 steps per day isn’t a one-size-fits-all 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 more calories compared to taking evenly sized strides, according to research.
American researchers monitored the activities of 18 fit participants and found that for each 1 percent increment in step variation, there was a corresponding 0.7 percent hike in energy consumption.
The findings indicated that inconsistent steps 'have a minor but notable impact' on the energy expended during walking, according to the researchers.
The team did not track the number of calories burnt by the participants.
Nonetheless, 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 conclude that greater and more frequent fluctuations in step length could lead to an increased metabolic rate during walking."
In this study, the participants—aged 24 with an average weight of 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 subsequently controlled their movements during a second 5-minute treadmill walking session by illuminating specific areas for the participants to target.
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 rate, which increases during physical activity.
The discoveries, shared on a pre-print server, bioRxiv The researchers suggest that when individuals have to transition between taking small steps and large steps to sustain their balance, it can lead to increased muscle contractions and higher metabolic costs.
'Their findings indicate that a 2.7 percent rise in stride variability could lead to an increase of 1.7 percent in the energy needed for walking,' they noted.
The variation in step length moderately but importantly influences the energy expended during walking.
The research might be most applicable to elderly individuals, especially those suffering from neurological disorders, since their walking patterns show 'higher step length variability,' they added.
However, researchers admitted that adjusting lengths in 5 percent increments differs from actual variations observed in natural walking patterns.
The participants still found it challenging to maintain precision when adjusting their stride lengths without extra guidance, they noted.
'Studies focused on the future should measure the precision of foot placement and muscle activity within comparable virtual projections.'
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