Health Benefits and Usage Guidelines

As physical activity guidelines evolve and sedentary behavior, or “sitting disease,” becomes a growing health concern, walking pads—compact, portable treadmills designed for walking rather than running—are gaining traction as a versatile tool for promoting physical activity and reducing time spent sitting.

As a health and exercise professional, understanding how to integrate walking pads into client recommendations can be helpful in addressing inactivity, supporting rehabilitation or enhancing general fitness.

What Are Walking Pads and Why Are They Relevant?

Walking pads are lightweight treadmills designed to facilitate walking at low to moderate speeds. In contrast to a treadmill, walking pads are not meant for higher intensity aerobic activity. They are built to save space and are often used in multitasking environments such as offices, homes or rehabilitation settings. Their design prioritizes accessibility, making them particularly valuable for populations with barriers to traditional exercise, such as limited space, time constraints or joint-related mobility issues.

Interestingly, though it was thought that the use of a walking pad while at work would result in injuries from falls, that has not materialized. According to Greg Degnan, MD, a member of the ACE Scientific Advisory Panel and an expert in medical fitness programming, “what we have seen anecdotally in the orthopedic community is some ergonomically related overuse issues—neck, back and shoulder strain and trigger points from workstations that are not set up ergonomically to support the position of a walking individual. In general, the medical community has gone from optimistic skepticism to embracing walking pads as a great way to fight ‘sitting disease’ and sedentarism.”

Health and exercise professionals can incorporate walking pads into personalized exercise program designs for clients seeking to meet daily activity recommendations in a manageable and accessible way. Some of the ways in which these tools are often used include:

• Prolonged sitting is associated with adverse health outcomes, including metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Walking pads offer a simple way to introduce non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) into otherwise sedentary routines. According to a Mayo Clinic Study, using an active workstation, such as a walking pad, can enable workers to remain productive and mentally sharp while also aiding in the prevention and treatment of conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Rehabilitation Tool: For individuals recovering from injury or managing chronic conditions like arthritis, walking pads provide a safe, low-impact option to reintroduce movement.
• Behavioral Change in Office Settings: These devices enable desk-bound workers to perform light-intensity walking during tasks such as reading or attending online meetings. Research has demonstrated that individuals using a walking pad or treadmill desk—particularly those with desk jobs—experience great workday activity.

Health Benefits of Walking Pads

Walking pads offer additional physical and mental health benefits:

• Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health: Light-intensity walking improves chronic disease and mortality risk, improves circulation, reduces resting blood pressure and enhances glycemic control. For clients with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome, walking pads offer a way to achieve the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week without the joint stress associated with high-impact exercises.
• Weight Management: Walking on a pad provides steady caloric expenditure. While walking burns fewer calories than running or other vigorous activities, it can serve as a sustainable method to prevent weight gain or complement more intensive exercise programs.
• Musculoskeletal and Postural Benefits: Walking pads are an effective intervention for promoting posture and balance. Slow, steady walking is particularly useful for older adults or individuals with musculoskeletal issues, as it strengthens stabilizing muscles without overloading joints.
• Mental and Cognitive Health: Research has demonstrated the brain boosting benefits of walking pads. The evidence suggests that standing desks and the use of walking pads helped increase activity in the workplace, lowered stress levels and improved overall mood. Regular walking also reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves mood and sleep quality. For clients who struggle to find time for physical activity, walking pads create an opportunity for movement that aligns with their daily routines.

Duration, Frequency and Recovery

Guidelines for walking pad usage depend on an individual’s fitness level, goals and lifestyle constraints. If you’re working with a client who has limitations, be sure to thoroughly discuss the challenges and recommend a slow start to prevent the client from doing too much, too soon.

Prolonged use of walking pads without rest can lead to fatigue or postural strain, particularly in individuals with low baseline fitness or musculoskeletal limitations. The goal is not to walk for the entirety of a workday, but to use the walking pad intermittently to break up sedentary time.

Generally, it’s recommended that individuals take a break from sitting every 30 minutes. However, some may not be able to start at that frequency. Start with where the client is and build from there. Remind clients that some movement throughout the day is better than none. Every step counts!

You can begin by encouraging light walking for a total of two to four hours per day (adjust this total down for beginning clients), broken into 30- to 60-minute blocks. Encourage clients to walk at a comfortable pace. The point of a walking pad is to break up sedentary time, not train for an event or for general performance.

Health and exercise professionals can advise clients to follow a structured plan that works for them. Below are two examples:

• 45-15 Rule: Walk for 45 minutes, then rest or sit for 15 minutes.
• 20-8-2 Rule: Spend 20 minutes walking or standing, eight minutes sitting, and two minutes engaging in dynamic stretches or movement.

Breaks not only prevent fatigue, but also reduce risks associated with repetitive movement patterns, such as foot discomfort or lower-back strain.

Walking Pace: Should Clients Walk Slowly or Briskly?

The ideal walking pace varies depending on the client’s fitness goals and health status.

Slow Walking for Longer Periods

• Benefits: Encourages sustained activity throughout the day, enhances circulation, reduces the health risks associated with prolonged sitting and improves mood
• Ideal for: Beginners, individuals multitasking at a desk or clients focused on rehabilitation
• Considerations: Slow walking [~1.25–2.5 mph (2–4 km/h)] is ideal for maintaining low-intensity movement and accommodating tasks requiring concentration, such as typing or reading.

Brisk Walking for Shorter Sessions

• Benefits: Improves cardiovascular endurance, burns more calories and can increases overall fitness
• Ideal for: Clients with weight-loss goals who want to dedicate time to a brisker pace
• Considerations: Brisk walking [~2.5–4.0 mph (4.0–6.5 km/h)] on walking pads requires focus and may not be suitable for multitasking settings like an office.

Ultimately, a hybrid approach—combining slower, longer walking sessions with occasional brisk walking intervals—offers the best of both worlds for most clients. Remember to tailor pacing recommendations based on client objectives and physical capabilities.

Best Practices for Walking Pad Integration

While integrating the use of a walking pad into client routines can enhance movement and reduce sedentary time, proper technique and habits should remain a priority for long-term benefits. Consider the following strategies to optimize the use of a walking pad for your clients.

• Focus on Posture: Poor posture during walking, particularly when multitasking at a desk, can result in discomfort or injury. Encourage clients to maintain an upright position with their shoulders relaxed and their gaze forward. Also, emphasize the importance of workspace ergonomics.
• Prioritize Footwear: Although walking pads are low-impact, supportive footwear is always a priority to minimize joint stress and prevent discomfort during longer walking sessions.
• Emphasize Hydration: Even during light activity, remind clients to drink water consistently.
• Encourage Habit Formation: Walking pads are most effective when incorporated into a consistent routine. Suggest pairing walking with a recurring daily task (e.g., checking emails) to establish consistency.
• Journal and Monitor Progress: Encourage clients to track their walking duration, steps or pace using pedometers or fitness apps.

Final Thoughts

Walking pads are a versatile tool for addressing sedentary lifestyles, enhancing recovery and supporting low-impact exercise plans. Integrating walking pad recommendations into client programs, while considering factors such as walking duration, rest intervals and pace, can amplify the benefits of physical activity and support overall health outcomes. By promoting accessible, sustainable movement, walking pads empower clients to bridge the gap between inactivity and regular exercise.

To learn more about how to inspire individuals to find inner motivation for physical activity, check out Mindful Movement: Coaching Clients to Become More Active (worth 1.2 ACE CECs). In this course, you’ll learn a unique approach to help inactive clients become physically active and enhance your coaching strategies and abilities.