Study says Nordic walking helps improve heart function

Nordic walking, a form of training originating in Finland that has become a popular sport around the world, was evaluated by a research team from the University of Ottawa in Canada as follows: one of the most beneficial exercises for people with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Study published this month (14) in the journal Canadian Journal of Cardiologycompared the effect of three types of exercise among participants with coronary artery occlusion: high-intensity interval training, sustained moderate-to-vigorous intensity training, and Nordic walking.

How were the benefits of physical activity evaluated in patients with CAD?

Often one of the first signs of CAD is the occurrence of a heart attack. When this occurs and the disease is diagnosed, patients may be referred for professional medical follow-up through cardiac rehabilitation. This procedure consists of physical exercise sessions to improve the physical and mental health of patients.

The current study involved follow-up of 130 participants in one of these cardiovascular rehabilitation programs. For 12 weeks, patients were divided into three groups, each with one type of aerobic exercise being studied.

At the end of the studies, the scientists concluded that the exercises had a positive effect in the three areas studied: functional capacity, quality of life, and depression symptoms. Again, Nordic walking group participants saw greater benefits According to the researchers, adding two poles to the gait improved parameters such as posture, gait, balance and walking speed compared to the other two.

ARTICLE Canadian Journal of Cardiology – DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2022.03.017.