Exercise training appears to reduce the energy cost of walking, especially in healthy adults

What the researchers studied

The metabolic cost of walking is the energy needed to move around. It increases with aging and in certain neurological conditions. The researchers examined whether repeated exercise training could reduce it, and whether the results varied according to the type of exercise or its characteristics.

The review brings together 27 studies involving 703 healthy adults and 474 people with a neurological condition. Of the included studies, nine focused on stroke, one on multiple sclerosis and one on Parkinson’s disease. The interventions included aerobic exercise and strength training.

The abstract consulted does not detail the comparators or the duration of each intervention. It therefore does not allow a precise reconstruction of the conditions under which each result was obtained.

A favorable result, but one that differs by population

Across all types of training, the analysis found a statistically significant improvement in the energy cost of walking, with a standardized effect size of 0.40. This figure is not a percentage of energy saved and cannot predict an individual’s benefit.

In healthy adults, the improvement was statistically significant. After a stroke, the estimated effect was smaller and did not reach the threshold for statistical significance. This leaves the benefit uncertain in this group, without demonstrating an absence of effect.

The inclusion of only one study on Parkinson’s disease and one on multiple sclerosis limits disease-specific conclusions.

No training method stands out

Training type, intensity, frequency and duration did not significantly explain differences in results. However, the authors note that their analysis may have lacked the statistical power to detect these relationships. We therefore cannot conclude that all methods are equally effective.

Heterogeneity and risk of bias are described as moderate. This review supports the value of exercise training for walking economy, especially in healthy adults, but it identifies neither an optimal program nor a guaranteed benefit for everyday mobility.

What we can take away

Exercise training appears to make walking less energy-intensive in healthy adults. The evidence is less conclusive after a stroke and does not establish which method is best.