Value Village ／ Health
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"Take the stairs, not the lift" is health advice heard everywhere, but in Japan station stairs are part of daily life, and many people climb several hundred steps a day. Here we look at the value of stairs as exercise, and at the misunderstandings about their effect on the knees.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Climbing stairs | About 8 METs (about twice brisk walking) | METs table for physical activities |
| Descending stairs | About 3–4 METs | Same as above |
| Guide 2023 | 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day (3 METs or more). Using the stairs is named as an everyday measure | MHLW |
| Station stairs | Deep Tokyo subway stations have more than 100 steps to street level | — |
| Load on the knee | Going up puts about 3 times body weight on the knee; going down about 4–5 times, according to general descriptions | General explanations in orthopaedics |
[Verify] Check the MET values against the METs table of the National Institute of Health and Nutrition, the knee-load multiples against general orthopaedic explanations, and the accidents against Consumer Affairs Agency material.
For healthy knees, they are exercise. If a knee is painful or swollen, avoid going down, use the handrail and see a doctor.
Stairs are high intensity and earn physical activity in a short time. The guide recommends both step count and intensity.
Going down is exercise in which the muscles produce force while lengthening (eccentric); it does build strength, but the load on the knee is greater than going up.
Climb 200 steps a day in total and that alone is about 5–10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Part of the physical activity of Japan's city dwellers is made up of station stairs.
Stairs are effective for keeping strength and balance, but there is a risk of falls. Always use the handrail, on a well-lit staircase, without hurrying. Fit handrails and floor-level lights on the stairs at home.
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https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001171393.pdf
https://www.nibiohn.go.jp/eiken/programs/2011mets.pdf
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/caution/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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