Ask A GP: Is Incline Walking Or Running Actually Better For Your Heart Health?

Medical advice provided by Dr Suzanne Wylie, a GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor.

From Japanese walking to retro walking, it turns out there are plenty of ways to enjoy the health benefits of a stroll without fixating on 10,000 steps (experts think 7,000 steps daily might do the job just as well, anyway).

And some research suggests that incline walking, or walking on a slope, could burn 7% more fat as a proportion of calories expended than running without placing as much strain on your joints.

But running does the job faster, meaning a 15-minute sprint will probably still burn more than a 15-minute incline walk. And that’s only one metric.

“Both incline walking and running can be excellent forms of exercise, and the question of which is ‘better’ really depends on the individual’s current health, fitness level and goals,” GP Dr Suzanne Wylie told us.

Here, the doctor shared the health pros and cons of both.

“Incline walking, particularly on a treadmill or up hills outdoors, can significantly raise the heart rate while remaining low impact, which means it places less stress on the joints than running does,” Dr Wylie said.

A 2021 study found that walking on a treadmill with either a 10% or 16% incline (slope) engaged participants’ muscles and raised their heart rates more than walking at a 0% incline, or flat ground.

“For many people, especially those who are new to exercise, carrying excess weight, managing joint pain or recovering from injury, incline walking can provide meaningful cardiovascular benefit and muscle engagement, particularly in the glutes and calves, without the repetitive impact that running involves,” Dr Wylie told us.

“It can also help build lower body strength and endurance over time while being more sustainable for some individuals.”

Running, the GP told us, “is generally more time efficient in terms of cardiovascular conditioning and calorie expenditure, and it can improve aerobic fitness more quickly in those who are able to tolerate it”.

And, Dr Wylie said, “It also places greater demand on the bones, which can be beneficial for bone density, and on the heart and lungs, which can improve overall stamina”.

For healthy people, the idea that running damages your joints may be a myth: the strain could actually make them stronger.

“However, it is not suitable for everyone, particularly those with certain joint conditions, significant obesity, pelvic floor concerns or a history of recurrent injuries,” the doctor said.

And in one study, almost a third of new runners gave up the more taxing sport within six months of picking it up.

“In practice, I would encourage patients to choose the activity they are most likely to maintain consistently, because long-term adherence matters far more than whether one exercise burns slightly more calories than another,” Dr Wylie ended.

“For many people, a combination of both, adjusted to their ability and health status, can offer a balanced approach to fitness, strength and overall wellbeing.”

In case you needed any more motivation, recent research has suggested that a mixture of exercise – including cardio, strength training, and a range of activities from tennis to dancing – seems to be best for longevity.