Walking With Your Partner
When you’re with a friend you probably don’t walk as fast as you do on your own. This news comes from a Purdue University study showing that couples often walk more slowly when together, especially if they’re holding hands. To research this, the investigators looked at the walking times and gait speeds of 141 individuals from 72 couples. Libby Richards, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing, reported that the team was hoping that “there would not be a reduction in speed where partners walked together. We hoped that slower partners would speed up to match the faster partner, but that was not the case.” She added that performing any type of physical activity, including walking and regardless of speed, is better than none. Shirley Rietdyk, Ph.D., professor of health and kinesiology who specializes in biomechanics, noted that “gait speed is important to measure because it is related to overall health. Typical gait speed is predictive of fall risk, functional ability, disability recovery and mortality.” She added that slower gait speed is not an inevitable aspect of aging and that people who walk slower as they age may need to find other fitness routines to stay active.
Learn more: Walking: The Best Exercise
Source:
Shirley Rietdyk et al, “Changes to gait speed when romantic partners walk together: Effect of age and obstructed pathway.” Gait & Posture, March 21 2021; DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.02.017
More current health news from this week’s bulletin:
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- Low Fat Diets & Testosterone
- A flavorful snack idea: Walnut, Quince & Manchego Bites
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