Is it better to walk outside or on a treadmill? Experts reveal which one has the most benefits

Walking is a great way to stay active and comes with all sorts of health benefits, including less back pain and better health and mental health.

But what if the weather is unbearably hot or cold? Or what if you don’t have an easy way to get to a place where someone can walk? Is indoor walking right for you?

Although there are many unique health boosts that come from being outside, walking indoors or walking on the treadmill, it can still be good exercise, says Stephanie Mansour, a certified personal trainer and contributor to Start TODAY.

Benefits of walking outdoors

Walking or running outside is more challenging than inside, which can be professional depending on your goals and fitness level.

When you walk outside, “there’s more variation in your pace and speed,” Dr. Jeanne Doperak, a primary care sports medicine physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told TODAY.com earlier.

You will have the opportunity to encounter different terrains and types of terrain, Mansour adds, such as an uneven road or a rocky dirt road. “Physically, different surfaces challenge your balance more than they would if you were on a treadmill or walking in an indoor space,” Mansour explains.

That means your workout will engage your leg muscles in a “randomized” way, Mansour says. “When you’re going uphill, you’re using more of your glutes and hamstrings than when you’re going downhill, you’re using more of your quads,” he explains.

While you can mimic some of that by adjusting to a treadmill, it’s not the same as being challenged by what nature throws at you.

Being outside also comes with other mental and emotional health benefits, especially if you’re looking at a screen while working inside.

“There are many physical benefits to being in nature, and (that) has been shown in many studies,” Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer said on the TODAY show earlier. These include a reduction in blood pressure and risk of stroke, lower heart rate and risk of heart attack, improvement in diabetes symptoms and an increase in cancer-fighting cells in the immune system. immune system.

“It’s important for people of all ages to spend time outside regularly. Some research has shown the benefits of being outside for mental health, Stryer said, including reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as lower stress levels as measured by cortisol in the body.

“It’s still good to get outside,” N’Namdi Nelson, a physical therapist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center, told TODAY.com earlier. “You want to look at different buildings, trees, birds, everything,” Nelson said.

Mansour calls it the “meditation part” of being outside. He always encourages people to focus on the smell of flowers or freshly cut grass, as well as feeling the warmth of the sun or cool air on the skin.

“It helps you be a little more present and in tune with your body, as opposed to being on a treadmill or indoors,” she says.

Benefits of walking on a treadmill

Walking or running outside gives you natural variation in speed, deflection and distance, but using a treadmill takes that variation and unpredictability out of the equation. For some people, that’s the biggest benefit of exercising at home.

“If you’re someone who has balance problems or tends to sprain your ankle,” Mansour recommends starting with walking exercises indoors, preferably on a carpet. He says that will be less impactful than walking on the pavement outside or on the treadmill. And if you choose to walk on a treadmill, take advantage of the handrails, Mansour says, which will help you maintain balance while walking.

Another advantage, of course, is that your treadmill is still rain or shine, which means that walking or running during the day is easy regardless of the weather.

Pedometers, small enough to fit under a standing desk, are a common choice for tracking steps during the day. However, be aware that most walking boards do not come with handrails. “If you’re someone who has any balance issues or any multitasking issues, look no further than walking,” Mansour says.

Should you walk outside or on a treadmill?

If you can, experts recommend trying to walk or run outside for the most vigorous and mental health-enhancing exercise. But if you can’t be out for whatever reason, that’s okay. Know that you’re still getting great health benefits from your physical activity — indoors or outdoors, Mansour says.

He encourages people to think of walking like they choose to enjoy themselves for the day: If you enjoy walking outside every day regardless of the weather, stick to that routine. If it helps, think of your summer sweat tour “as a detox,” Mansour says. “Or if you’re traveling in the winter and you’re bundled up, look at it as free cryotherapy.”

But if you’re someone who doesn’t like to go in or someone for whom the weather is a big hindrance, keeping your treadmill in your pocket is a great alternative.

The most important thing is to walk – and keep walking, Doperak said. “In general, any exercise is good exercise,” he added. “And the health benefits of exercise are endless.”