Walking with irregular strides significantly increases calorie burn, new research shows

A recent study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as reported by the New York Post, suggests that incorporating varied stride lengths during walking could have significant fitness benefits. 

"I think it would be fair to assume that more frequent and larger variations in stride length would increase your metabolic rate while walking," study author Adam Grimmitt told the outlet. 

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Researchers, led by Adam Grimmitt, examined 18 healthy individuals averaging 70Kgs and aged around 24 years. In their study, participants walked on treadmills for five minutes while adjusting their stride lengths to be 5% to 10% shorter or longer than usual. The researchers monitored their metabolic rates by measuring carbon dioxide levels, which indicate exercise intensity. 

The findings indicated that increasing "step length variability" by 2.7% led to a 1.7% increase in metabolic rate. This suggests that incorporating non-uniform stride patterns could boost the body's calorie-burning efficiency during walking.

The study highlighted that while the effect of step length variability on metabolism is moderate, it is statistically significant. The researchers are now exploring how these findings could benefit older adults, potentially helping them conserve energy during walking.

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 They also emphasized the need for future studies to further investigate foot placement accuracy and muscle activity in similar scenarios. This could provide deeper insights into how varied stride patterns influence metabolic processes and overall physical efficiency.