**Walking Faster May Reduce Arrhythmia Risk, Study Suggests**
A UK research team has found that walking at a normal or fast pace can lower the risk of heart rhythm abnormalities by 30-40%. Published in the journal “Heart,” the study tracked the walking speed and duration of over 420,000 participants from the UK Biobank, revealing that faster walking is associated with a reduced risk of arrhythmias.
The research, led by Professor Jill P. Pell from the University of Glasgow, highlights an area seldom explored: the impact of walking speed on heart rhythm disorders, in addition to its known benefits for reducing cardiovascular diseases and mortality risks.
Participants were observed over an average period of 13 years. Based on walking speed, they were categorized into three groups: slow (less than 4.8 km/h), average (4.8–6.4 km/h), and fast (over 6.4 km/h). The findings showed that the average and fast walking groups had a 35% and 43% lower risk of arrhythmias, respectively, compared to the slow group. For atrial fibrillation specifically, the risk reduction was 38% and 46%.
Although the study is observational and cannot establish causation, it suggests metabolic and inflammatory factors may play a role in the relationship between walking speed and arrhythmia risk.
The researchers emphasized that walking at an average or fast pace could serve as a safe and effective exercise intervention to reduce the risk of arrhythmia, particularly in high-risk groups. They noted that regular human heart function typically maintains 60–100 beats per minute. However, arrhythmia occurs when the heartbeat is irregular, too fast, or too slow, with atrial fibrillation being a common type that has doubled in prevalence over the last 30 years.