A study has found that faster walking stabilizes heart rhythm, prompting experts to point out that walking "speed" matters more than the number of daily steps. As the number of arrhythmia patients in Korea rises each year, the analysis suggests that simply increasing walking speed can protect heart health.
According to the medical community Wednesday, the number of arrhythmia patients in Korea is rising every year. Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service shows that arrhythmia patients in Korea increased 24.5% over four years, from 403,000 in 2020 to 501,000 in 2024. This amounts to an average annual increase of more than 6%.
Recently, the proportion of younger patients in their 30s to 50s has also grown, with those in their 30s and 40s accounting for 11.6% of all patients and those in their 50s accounting for 17.3% as of 2024. Arrhythmia is considered a condition where early diagnosis and management are important, as it can lead to stroke, acute heart attack, or sudden death.
A study published in "Heart," a journal under the British Medical Journal (BMJ), demonstrates the possibility of prevention amid this trend. It found that the habit of walking briskly at 6.4 kilometers per hour or faster lowers the risk of arrhythmia by 43% compared to slow strolling.
Researchers obtained these results by tracking 420,925 people registered in the UK Biobank over 14 years. The analysis found that brisk walking lowers body mass index (BMI) and reduces systemic inflammation levels, thereby protecting heart rhythm.
Experts trace why speed is the key factor to "metabolic indicators." They explained that the act of walking briskly directly lowers body mass index and reduces systemic inflammation levels that damage blood vessel walls. On the other hand, they said, slow strolling does not place the necessary load on the heart muscle, so its protective effect is weaker.
In fact, researchers confirmed that about 35% of the preventive effect of brisk walking stems from such improvements in metabolic factors and reduction in inflammation. The effect of the habit of walking until breathless doubled for those who were not obese or who had underlying conditions such as high blood pressure.
There are also study results showing that simply increasing the number of steps is not enough. According to a recently published study, even when walking the same number of steps per day, walking continuously for 10 to 15 minutes or more at a time lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease more significantly than walking in short bursts several times. One analysis found that walking frequently in bursts of less than five minutes actually increased the risk of death. This means that activity sustained with rhythm enough for the heart to recognize it as "exercising" is important.
To see actual exercise effects, one must also pay attention to walking posture and method. The basics are to look 10 to 15 meters ahead rather than at your feet, relax the tension in your shoulders and neck, and keep your breathing comfortable.
To reduce strain on the knees, follow the ground-contact sequence: the heel touches the ground first, then the entire sole supports the ground, and you push forward toward the big toe. Swinging your arms back and forth while lightly clenching your fists engages the upper body muscles, which increases energy expenditure and helps maintain a steady walking rhythm.
If you are looking for exercise effects, walking a distance of 3 to 4 kilometers at a slightly brisk pace for 30 minutes to one hour, three to five times a week, is recommended.
