Cardio
Narrative Review
2020
Stair climbing as an exercise intervention: Health and fitness benefits
By Michael E. Teh and Chris Easton
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(15), pp. 924-929
Abstract
<h2>Abstract</h2> <p>Stair climbing represents one of the most accessible and underutilized exercise modalities available to sedentary populations. As a gravity-resisted, weight-bearing activity requiring no equipment, dedicated facility, or scheduled workout time, stair climbing can be seamlessly incorporated into daily environments including offices, residential buildings, and public transit settings. This review by Teh and Easton (2020) evaluates the evidence from controlled intervention studies examining the effects of stair climbing on cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, blood lipid profiles, and cardiovascular disease risk markers.</p> <p>The review synthesizes findings from 23 studies conducted over the past two decades and demonstrates that stair climbing interventions, even brief ones, produce significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness. Landmark findings include evidence that three 60-second stair climbing bouts distributed across the day, performed 5 days per week, produce significant increases in VO2peak over 6 weeks. Stair climbing at vigorous intensity (80–90% HRmax) constitutes an effective incidental <a href="/terms/hiit/" class="term-link" data-slug="hiit" title="high-intensity interval training">high-intensity interval training</a> stimulus when performed in short bouts separated by normal occupational activity. The review concludes that stair use promotion represents a high-priority, low-barrier public health intervention with evidence-based efficacy comparable to traditional structured exercise programs at equivalent exercise durations.</p> <p><em>Keywords: stair climbing, stair running, incidental exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, VO2peak, public health intervention</em></p>Introduction
Introduction
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, and structured exercise programs reach only a minority of the population. One significant barrier is the perception that meaningful exercise requires dedicated time, specialized equipment, and gym facility access. This perception is not only inaccurate but constitutes a significant public health challenge, as it excludes the majority of sedentary individuals from exercise participation [1].
Stair climbing challenges this assumption at every point. It requires no equipment beyond footwear, is available in virtually every multi-story building on earth, and can be completed in bouts as short as 60 seconds. Unlike walking, which remains at relatively low metabolic intensities, fast stair climbing achieves metabolic rates of 8–12 METs (metabolic equivalents), placing it squarely within the vigorous-intensity exercise category defined by WHO guidelines (>6 METs) [2].
The physiological demands of stair climbing are substantially greater than those of level walking at equivalent speeds. The vertical displacement required to lift body weight against gravity approximately doubles the metabolic cost compared to horizontal walking, while the step-over-step movement pattern activates gluteal, quadriceps, hamstring, and calf musculature more intensively than level ambulation. This high muscular demand relative to aerobic intensity makes stair climbing a particularly effective conditioner of the lower-body muscular and cardiovascular systems simultaneously [3].
From a public health perspective, stair climbing interventions can be delivered at scale without infrastructure cost. Multiple studies have demonstrated that simple environmental prompts ("Take the stairs" signage), elevator removal, and stairwell aesthetics improvements increase stair use in workplace and transit settings by 20–50%. The question evaluated in this review is whether this increased stair use translates into measurable improvements in cardiovascular fitness and health markers, and what dose is required to produce significant effects [4].