Nordic walking beats HIIT exercise for cardiovascular benefits

Nordic walking surpassed HIIT and MICT exercise in improving functional capacity in subjects with coronary artery disease.

HIIT (high intensity interval training) and MICT (moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training) both conferred benefits, but not as much as NW (Nordic walking). Depression scores also improved.

Clinical research entitled Sustained Effects of Different Exercise Modalities on Physical and Mental Health in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial recently published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology offers evidence that the comparatively pleasant and easy Nordic walking (walking with poles) is superior to the more taxing exercise regimens of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and MICT (moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training) for coronary artery health. The subjects had undergone cardiac revascularization and were then referred for cardiac rehabilitation.

The authors state:

“Twelve-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training (MICT), and Nordic walking (NW) have been shown to improve functional capacity, quality of life (QoL), and depression symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease. However, their prolonged effects or whether the improvements can be sustained remains unknown. In this study we compared the effects of 12 weeks of HIIT, MICT, and NW on functional capacity, QoL, and depression symptoms at week 26.”

A previous study had shown pronounced benefits at week 12. This was done to determine if improvements could be sustained.

Benefits were sustained

They randomized patients with coronary artery disease to either a 12-week HIIT, MICT, or NW program and examined them again after a subsequent 14-week observation phase. At the start and at weeks 12 and 26, they measured functional with a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), assessed quality of life, and used the Beck Depression Inventory-II to quantify depression. There were substantial improvements in all three groups but the improvement functional capacity in the NW group was substantially better than the other two.

“There were significant improvements in 6MWT distance, QoL, and depression symptoms from baseline to week 26 (P < 0.05); NW increased 6MWT distance (+94.2 ± 65.4 m) more than HIIT (+59.9 ± 52.6 m; interaction effect P = 0.025) or MICT (+55.6 ± 48.5 m; interaction effect P = 0.010). Between weeks 12 and 26, 6MWT distance and physical QoL increased significantly (P < 0.05).

Moreover, pole use in Nordic walking can improve posture, gait, and balance.

The authors conclude:

“Twelve weeks of HIIT, MICT, and NW have positive prolonged effects on functional capacity, QoL, and depression symptoms. However, NW conferred additional benefits in increasing functional capacity. The effects of the 12-week exercise programs were sustained at week 26.”