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You’re planning to lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement today — but to get the most out of your miles, should you walk them or run them?

Your activity tracker might end up with the same step count either way, but as it turns out, these two different cardiovascular activities each have their own unique benefits to offer. Here’s how you can figure out which option might be best for your individual health and wellness goals.

The benefits of cardiovascular activity

Cardiovascular exercise (aka those activities that get you breathing harder and make your heart rate faster) is an important component of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

But like any style of fitness, there are different levels of exertion. Walking, for example, might be considered a “moderate” cardiovascular activity, while for many people, running would be considered a “vigorous” one.

The general rule is that “one minute of vigorous activity is equal to two minutes of moderate-intensity activity.” So, does that mean that running is automatically twice as good for you as walking? Not quite.

Walking is a great place to start

First and foremost, walking is the obvious preference for those just beginning their fitness journey. The old saying “You have to walk before you can run” is absolutely right! Starting with regular walks at short, attainable distances is ideal; from there, working your way up to longer distances and a faster pace will be much more attainable than attempting to run from day one.

Beyond that, walking can provide a lot of the same benefits as running — like improved heart, lung, brain, and joint health, among many others.

Running burns more calories, but presents more risk of injury

If your goal is to lose weight, then it’s worth noting that running burns about twice as many calories as does walking. Per Healthline, “For someone who’s 160 pounds, running at 5 mph [over the course of one hour] burns 606 calories. Walking briskly for the same amount of time at 3.5 mph burns just 314 calories.

On the same token, running also offers more health risks than walking does. According to Healthline, “Runners have a much higher risk for exercise-related injury than walkers. Walkers have an approximate 1 to 5 percent injury risk, while runners have a 20 to 70 percent chance.”

See, since running is a high-impact exercise, it can take more of a toll on your body than a low-impact exercise like walking. Over the course of time, running regularly can lead to injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, and more (particularly if you’re not making an intentional effort to cross-train).

So, which one is better for you, walking or running?

The bottom line is that the cardio workout that’s best for you is whichever one you’ll do consistently.

The Mayo Clinic recommends “at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.” You could translate that to a minimum of three 25-minute runs per week, or at least three 50-minute walks per week.

If you’re simply looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, then the best option for you would be to choose whichever exercise you feel more motivated to complete on a regular basis. If you dread going for a run, but a walk feels doable, then go for a walk! Any exercise is better than no exercise.

However! The Mayo Clinic also notes that “to provide even greater health benefit and to assist with weight loss or maintaining weight loss, at least 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week is recommended.” That translates to six 25-minute runs per week or six 50-minute walks per week (can’t forget about that rest day!).

Whether you opt for a 25-minute run or a 50-minute walk, you’re going to burn the same amount of calories; so, if you’re looking to lose weight, keep in mind that the activity you choose is less important than the frequency with which you complete that activity.

Learn more from the experts at OrthoCarolina

​Whether you’ve recently experienced an injury, need help with recovery after tough workouts, or are simply experiencing chronic pain and need help managing it, OrthoCarolina can help. Make an appointment at a location near you to start getting the treatment you need.