Tom McGee, a 69-year-old market researcher from near Chicago, has found an unusual path to fitness, one that has occasionally put him at odds with hotel security. For two decades, McGee has been climbing stairs as a way to stay off cigarettes, a dedication that has seen him "kicked out of about every hotel in the city" due to his unconventional workout locations. His experience highlights a growing challenge for enthusiasts of this highly effective exercise, as modern office towers increasingly restrict access to stairwells.
Despite these hurdles, stair climbing is increasingly recognised in exercise guidance for its significant health benefits. Dr Luis Rodriguez, a 66-year-old semi-retired paediatric pulmonologist and avid stair climber, champions the activity. "You are working your legs. You are working your heart. You are working your lungs," he explains, adding, "You can get a lot more benefit than just walking, because gravity is working against you." This is supported by research indicating that just four minutes of stair climbing offers similar benefits to ten minutes of brisk walking or twenty minutes of slower walking.
The efficacy of short, intense bursts of activity was officially acknowledged in 2018, when federal physical activity guidance began promoting such efforts – like opting for the stairs between floors at work. Stella Volpe, an exercise expert at Virginia Tech, points out that many people "don’t realize that they don’t have to exercise all in one bout for it to be effective," suggesting that these small efforts accumulate throughout the day. Beyond the physical, Jennifer Gay, a public health researcher at the University of Georgia, notes that stair climbing can also improve mental well-being and boost feelings of energy.
However, experts caution that individuals who may struggle with stairs should always consult their doctor before adopting a regular climbing regimen.
The American Lung Association holds fundraising events each spring in office towers in cities across the country. The “Fight for Air” events are widely regarded as fun, but organizers say the name draws from the shortness of breath people can experience after climbing dozens of floors — or having a lung disease.
Landlords aren't always so accommodating.
Some law firms tell landlords and building owners that they can he held liable if someone trips or slips on a staircase. Poor lighting, liquid on steps and broken handrails are among the conditions that can be cited in lawsuits if someone falls and gets hurt.
Many building managers have taken such advice to heart, saying stairs can only be used in emergencies.
A study of hospital emergency department visits, published in 2018, concluded that more than 1 million stair-related injuries occur in the U.S. each year, with broken bones more common in older people. More than 60% of the injured were women.
Research suggests there’s very little risk of injuries for people climbing stairs, Gay said. Going down stairs can be riskier and building managers “can’t make it a one-way street,” she added.
For more than a decade, some health advocates have pressed for better access to steps.
In 2013, a California-based health policy nonprofit called ChangeLab Solutions issued a resource guide that urged property owners to open their stairwells, arguing they posed no greater liability risk than other common areas.
Gay and her colleagues have estimated that 60% of U.S. workers do their jobs in multistory buildings with stairwells. But there are no statistics showing what percentage of those buildings have restrictions on stair access.
Many people who like to climb have stories about trouble finding staircases they can use.
Lisa Bai, a New Yorker who works in real estate, said she’s not able to use the stairs in her office building. It would seem like an easy way to get some exercise, but sometimes “it’s not,” she said.
Bai and others say they find other ways to step up. Fitness equipment such as StairMaster machines can approximate the physical work of stair climbing, although people who participate in tower climbs say it isn't as arduous as the real thing.
You might have to get creative if you don't have easy access to stairs at home or in public spaces.
Carmen Erickson and Vivian Dawson, who live in the Detroit suburbs, have been meeting about three times a week to climb stairs, usually in a nearby park, for roughly a decade.
But it can be trickier when they travel. When they vacation together, they make a point to stay on the top floor of tall hotels so they can use the stairs. They also look for hills and hospital parking decks.
They also have negotiated after-hours access to one building's stairwells, agreeing to sign a waiver and check in with security officers each time.
“If you connect with the right people and tell them what they're doing and agree to the rules, it hasn't really been a problem for us,” said Erickson, 53.
But Dawson, 64, added: “You have to really want to do it.”
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