Uphill or down: The health benefits of hiking depend on where you're headed
Don't ignore the descent — or the stairs down — as an exercise strategy.
Hiking is a popular way of being active outdoors, especially during summer. Although everyone knows that climbing up a hill or mountain is a great workout, we tend to see reaching the top as the end of the "real" exercise and the descent as easy street. But research from the Vorarlberg Institute in Feldkirch, Austria, suggests that heading downhill is a form of exercise with unique health benefits.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise