Walking is one of those habits everyone loves to love-it’s easy, free, and packs a punch for your heart, mood, and waistline. But if you’re counting on it to keep your bones rock-solid as the years add up, US cardiologist Dr. Jeremy London has a wake-up call. With more than 25 years as a cardiovascular surgeon, he says while strolling through the park feels great and supports overall health, it falls short on building real bone strength. The reason? Bones need serious mechanical stress to grow denser, and walking just doesn’t deliver enough of a jolt.
Dr. London simplifies it: Our skeletons respond to impact and resistance, such as that from jumping, lifting, or pressing against weight. The ordinary walk keeps you mobile and reduces risks, such as high blood pressure or slow metabolism, but it lacks the “load” that tells bones to toughen themselves up. And all of this matters much more when we reach middle age, particularly for women when estrogen levels fall and the risk of osteoporosis rises. He shared this in a recent Instagram reel, urging people not to abandon walking but to combine it with smarter moves for full-body protection.