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Health benefits of Nordic walking: a systematic review
Systematic review (2010–2012 search) synthesising 16 RCTs (n=1062) and 11 observational studies (n=831): Nordic walking showed favourable short- and long-term effects versus brisk walking without poles on resting heart rate, blood pressure, exercise capacity, maximal oxygen consumption, and quality-of-life measures, with some endpoints also favouring Nordic walking over jogging in reviewed comparisons.
Design
- Systematic review with literature search Nov 2010–May 2012
- Evidence: 16 RCTs (n = 1062) + 11 observational studies (n = 831)
- Comparator focus: Nordic walking vs brisk walking without poles and vs jogging (endpoint-dependent)
Headline synthesis (authors’ abstract)
- Nordic walking superior to brisk walking on short- and long-term signals for heart rate, oxygen consumption, quality of life, and other reviewed measures
- Some endpoints also favoured Nordic walking over jogging in the included literature (read forest tables; heterogeneous populations)
Evidence hygiene
- Mixed clinical + healthy cohorts and heterogeneous doses—use as orientation next to device-measured steps cohorts on
walking-for-glucose-control/nordic-walkingdose rows, not as a replacement for sport-specific performance RCTs.
Publication
Tschentscher M, Niederseer D, Niebauer J. Am J Prev Med. 2013 Jan;44(1):76-84. PMID 23253654.
Outcomes
- Systematic review: Nordic walking superior to brisk walking without poles for short- and long-term effects on resting heart rate, oxygen consumption, quality of life, and other measures; some endpoints favoured Nordic walking over jogging (16 RCTs, n=1062; 11 observational studies, n=831).