Stop blaming the heart, clogged vessels are the problem: How walking rewires your heart health
Regular walking can significantly improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood vessel resistance and lowering blood pressure, experts say. Studies show benefits begin at just 2,700 steps a day, with optimal gains reached well below the often-cited 10,000-step target.
Hyderabad: A daily dose of walking has the potential to act like a powerful catalyst for cardiovascular health, reducing strain on blood vessels and lowering blood pressure, a combination that could translate into tangible risk reduction over time.
There is a growing cohort of wellness advocates and medical professionals who suggest a shift in perspective. Instead of viewing the heart as the primary source of failure, the focus should shift to resistant blood vessels, which force the heart to pump against mounting pressure. Experts argue that the most effective way to alleviate this strain and smooth out blood flow is through a simple, consistent act of walking.
Physiologically, regular walking ensures a steady flow of blood that stimulates the walls of the blood vessels to relax. This process centers on the endothelium, which is the inner lining of the blood vessels. When blood flows past it consistently, the endothelium releases signals that prompt the vessels to widen. “No force is required; just regular use to prevent stagnation,” notes Metabolic Uncle, a prominent health communicator on X (formerly Twitter), who frequently advocates the advantages of regular walking.
So how much walking is good? Noted neurologist from Hyderabad Dr Sudhir Kumar, who himself is an accomplished long distance runner, points out that individuals should not get trapped in 10,000 steps per day advisory.
“Benefits of walking begin as early as 2, 700 steps per day. Those who are able to walk 2,700 steps have 8 percent lower risk of death. Of course, as the number of steps increases, the health benefits also increase. However, the optimum benefits are reached by 8, 000 to 9, 000 per day,” says Dr Sudhir Kumar in one of his posts on X.
There are a large number of studies that indicate that cardiovascular benefits from walking start at around 2, 500 to 2, 700 steps per day. For individuals who have largely led a sedentary life, that small number of steps produces large health gains.
Large-scale studies support this, indicating that cardiovascular benefits start at roughly 2,500 to 2,700 steps. For individuals transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle, even this small increase produces disproportionately large health gains. Evidence suggests the curve of cardiovascular resilience begins to flatten past 7,000 steps, where the system has received the majority of the signals it needs for flexibility.
The power of variety
While walking is a foundational tool, global health specialists urge the public to diversify physical activity to build total-body resilience.
Deputy Head (UN Task Force) on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr Alexey Kulikov on X recently highlighted the importance of multi-modal approach on X.
“When you only do one type of exercise, you’re only getting a set of benefits. But when you rotate through different modalities, you’re covering more bases. Your body gets stronger, more cardiovascularly fit and more resilient in ways that single-sport training just can’t deliver”.
