Effects of high-intensity interval walking training on physical fitness and blood pressure in middle-aged and older people.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 17605959 · doi:10.4065/82.7.803
What was done
A 5-month randomized controlled trial evaluated 246 middle-aged and older adults (60 men, 186 women; mean age 63 ± 6 years) randomly assigned to three groups: no walking training, moderate-intensity continuous walking (target: ≥8,000 steps/day at ~50% peak aerobic capacity for ≥4 days/week monitored by pedometer), or high-intensity interval walking (target: ≥5 sets of 3 minutes at 40% followed by 3 minutes at >70% peak aerobic capacity for ≥4 days/week monitored by accelerometry). Measured outcomes before and after training were isometric knee extension and flexion forces, peak aerobic capacity during cycling and walking, and resting blood pressure.
What was found
Targets were achieved by 9 of 25 men and 37 of 59 women in the no walking group, 8 of 16 men and 43 of 59 women in the continuous group, and 11 of 19 men and 31 of 68 women in the interval group. In the high-intensity interval walking group, isometric knee extension increased by 13%, knee flexion by 17%, peak aerobic capacity for cycling by 8%, and peak aerobic capacity for walking by 9% (all P < .001), all significantly greater than increases in the continuous group (all P < .01). Resting systolic blood pressure reduction was also significantly greater in the high-intensity interval group (P = .01).
Why it matters
High-intensity interval walking provides superior gains in lower-body strength, peak aerobic capacity, and systolic blood pressure reduction compared to standard moderate continuous walking in older adults.
Limits
Adherence to the prescribed targets was low, with under half of participants in the interval walking group meeting protocol targets. Absolute blood pressure values and baseline figures were not reported in the abstract. The sample was disproportionately female (76%), and outcomes beyond the 5-month intervention period were not assessed.
Cited by
- supports A Japanese study in older adults found that interval walking (3 minutes fast, 3 minutes slow) produced greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors than continuous walking.