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THE BENEFITS OF NORDIC WALKING
By ~ David Downer - courtesy of Nordic Walking UK

(Nordic Walking) Breast Cancer
Lisa Kay Sprod’s thesis, published at the University of Northern Colorado in 2003, measured the effects of walking with poles on shoulder function in breast cancer survivors. The data showed that walking with poles for eight weeks significantly improved upper body muscular endurance in breast cancer patients following treatment.

(Nordic Walking) Osteoporosis
Dr. Pusch, a professor at the University of Graz, Austria, conducted a study (unpublished) to determine the effects of Nordic Walking on women with osteoporosis. Participants increased hip bone density and there was an even greater improvement in the density of their spines. Dr. Pusch concluded that Nordic Walking is a valuable component of prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

(Nordic Walking) Parkinson’s Disease
A study by Baatile et al. 2000 researched 72-year-old males with Parkinson’s disease. The participants walked with poles three times a week (for sixty minutes per session) in a supervised, eight-week training program. The purpose of the study was to determine if Nordic Walking improved cognitive skills, daily activities, motor function, and quality of life in those with Parkinson’s disease. The researchers concluded that a regular Nordic Walking program did in fact increase the perceived functional independence and quality of life for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

(Nordic Walking) Vascular Diseases
In 2003, Eileen Collins and her team of researchers studied fifty-two patients with vascular disease, ages 65-70 years old. The participants Nordic Walked three times a week for thirty to forty-five minutes. They were also given 400 IU of Vitamin E daily. The researchers concluded that while Vitamin E seemed to cause little added benefit, Nordic Walking effectively improved both the tolerance for exercise and the perceived quality of life for patients with PAD (peripheral arterial disease).

(Nordic Walking) Weight Loss/Body Fat Loss
Heikkilä et al (in an unpublished study conducted in 2004) studied the effect of Nordic Walking on overweight adults over a four-month period. The participants lost on average eleven pounds, showed a decrease in body fat, and their aerobic fitness levels improved on average 29%. According to the researchers, key factors were that the Nordic Walking training was moderate to high in intensity and progressive in nature.

RESEARCH RELATED TO FITNESS

Cardio-respiratory FitnessKukkonen-Harjula et al 2004 did research to determine the effects of brisk walking with and without poles on cardio-respiratory fitness in healthy middle-aged women (ages 50-60). Both the regular walkers and the Nordic Walkers trained four times each week for forty minutes per session. The increase in peak VO2 (the volume of oxygen consumed while exercising at maximum capacity) was modest in both groups of walkers, indicating that no more effort was required to walk with poles than without them.
In 2004, Mänttäri and several other researchers conducted a pilot study for the Kukkonen-Harjula intervention study (see above). This pilot compared cardio-respiratory and musculoskeletal responses in both middle-aged women Nordic Walkers and regular walkers. The subjects, who walked on treadmills, were all familiar with Nordic Walking or cross-country skiing. Nordic Walking increased the participant’s mean heart rate (2.6% to 4.9%) compared to regular walking. The researchers attributed the increase to increased muscle activity in the upper body.
In an unpublished study using Exerstrider® poles led by Dr. Fran Nagle at the University of Wisconsin in 1989, increases in O2 consumption in a pole walking group averaged 37% and reached as high as 94% (versus walking without poles).

Note: There is usually a direct correlation to increases in O2 consumption and increases in energy expenditure.