What your walking speed can tell you about your health

If there’s one activity that deserves its shiny health halo, it’s walking. It’s a low-impact activity that breaks up dreaded sedentary time. It’s free to do, and it even helps you manage everything from your heart health to your weight to your risk of diabetes. One thing you may not have considered while aiming to hit your daily step goal, however, is that your walking speed can also be considered a vital sign.

So what are vital signs? According to Dr. Marie Therese Kanagie-McAleese, a physician at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, vital signs “provide information on the basic physiologic functioning of the body.” It’s something doctors look at during an annual check-up, such as your body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate and blood pressure. Oxygen saturation, which measures how much oxygen your blood is carrying, is also often included, as is weight, albeit not without some controversy.

Together, vital signs offer a snapshot of your overall health and may help identify potential issues — although it should be noted that just because one sign is off its normal target, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a larger overall problem.

How fast do people typically walk?

According to a 2020 study, how fast you walk depends on your age and biological sex, with men walking slightly faster than women. In general, individuals under 30 walk at an average speed of 3 miles per hour. Those aged 30 to 39, as well as 40 to 49, walk at an average speed of 2.8 mph. People 50 to 59 average 2.75 mph, while those over 60 move at 2.7 mph. After age 65, people tend to walk at an average speed of 2.1 mph.

Why is walking speed a marker of health?

Multiple studies have shown that walking speed is a viable marker of our health — but what makes gait so important? The simplest reason: having the ability to walk at a faster pace is an indicator that you’re in good physical shape.

According to Dr. Anthony Giuffrida, a specialist in interventional spine and pain management at the Cantor Spine Center in Fla., those who walk quickly show “strong muscle strength, coordination and neuromuscular function,” as well as “efficient heart and lung function.”

On the flip side, people who struggle to walk at a quick pace may be limited because of certain health conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Peggy Cawthon, a scientific director at Sutter Health's California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute who studied the correlation between gait and health, tells Yahoo Life that there’s also a connection between your cognitive abilities and walking quickly.

“We do a lot of tests of older people to measure cognitive function in a bunch of different domains, and walking speed is strongly related to how well your brain is working,” Cawthon says. “People who have cognitive impairment walk slower than people who are cognitively normal.”

The reason for this, Cawthon says, is that “walking is such a complex task.” If you have a cognitive impairment, it’s harder to figure out how to “put one step in front of the other and continue to walk quickly,” she notes. So if you’re unable to walk quickly or normally, it could possibly indicate cognitive issues — such as a disease like Parkinson’s, for example.

Why you should walk more

Your walking speed can indicate health concerns, but it’s also important to note that walking — and, in particular, walking at a brisk pace — can help ward off future health issues.

Walking is an easy way to incorporate more movement into your life — and increasing your pace is one way to ramp up the intensity of your exercise, which is important for improving cardiovascular health, boosting metabolism and supporting overall physical fitness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, per week, along with two days of muscle-strengthening activities.

“One of the common questions I get from people is, ‘So if I walk faster, does that mean I'm going to live longer?’ And the answer is: Well, maybe,” Cawthon says. But she stresses that simply trying to “walk really fast” isn’t the ultimate goal. Instead, increasing your walking speed by improving your fitness or losing weight can have “longer-term benefits on your health.”

Giuffrida says that patients need to prioritize exercise like walking to make it a habit. “Just as many brush their teeth two to three times a day to keep their teeth healthy, our muscles, heart, lungs and other organs need to be maintained daily,” he says. “Incorporating walking into daily routines, such as taking short walks at work or using the stairs instead of elevators, will help make walking a priority in people’s lives.”

Kanagie-McAleese, who works with the organization Walk with a Doc, says it’s a good idea to focus both on episodes of brisk walking and aiming for at least 4,000 to 7,000 steps daily. You can break this up however you wish — for example, she says, you can walk briskly for 10 minutes three times daily, five days a week. This type of walking counts towards the CDC’s 150 minutes of moderate activity.

“If you aren’t sure how to determine moderate activity level, use the ‘talk test’ — you should be able to have a conversation, but would get out of breath if you tried to sing,” she says.

As far as your daily step count goes, Kanagie-McAleese notes that more is better: You can start tracking your typical number of steps with a pedometer and then set goals to increase your daily step count by 500 to 1,000 steps every few weeks.

How different types of walking can impact your health

Giuffrida says that the “best type of walking depends on an individual's age, overall health and personal goals.” Here are several different walking styles he recommends, with their benefits:

Brisk walking

• What it is: Walking at a fast pace, typically 3 to 4 mph, where you can talk but not sing.

• How to do it: Maintain good posture, swing your arms naturally and aim for a pace that increases your heart rate without making you feel out of breath.

• Benefits: Improves cardiovascular health, burns calories, strengthens the lower body and boosts energy levels.

Interval walking

• What it is: Alternating between fast walking and slower recovery walking.

• How to do it: Walk briskly for one to three minutes, then slow down to a moderate pace for one to two minutes. Repeat as desired. If you are on a treadmill, you can also follow a program that includes an incline, such as the 12-3-30 method.

• Benefits: Enhances endurance, increases metabolism and can be more effective for calorie burn than steady-paced walking.

Mindful walking

• What it is: Walking slowly and focusing on the present moment, including your breathing and surroundings.

• How to do it: Choose a quiet outdoor location. Walk at a gentle, comfortable pace and focus on your breath and/or the sensations in your body. If helpful, you can also listen to a guided meditation recording while you walk.

• Benefits: Reduces stress, promotes relaxation, improves focus and supports mental health.

Hiking

• What it is: Walking on uneven terrain, such as trails or hills.

• How to do it: Wear sturdy shoes (think hiking boots, or shoes with proper grip and stability) and maintain a steady pace.

• Benefits: Engages more muscle groups, improves balance and coordination, increases strength and allows you to connect with nature, which can reduce stress levels.

Nordic walking

• What it is: A full-body walking workout, using poles to engage the upper body.

• How to do it: Hold the poles at a slight angle, and push off with each step, to involve your arms and shoulders while walking.

• Benefits: Boosts heart health, strengthens arms, shoulders and core and burns more calories than regular walking.