What are the common misunderstandings about taking the stairs?
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 It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.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.
In numbers
| 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 |
- The 2023 guide promotes "+10 (Plus Ten)" = move 10 minutes more than now, with "stairs instead of the lift" as its flagship example.
- For people with knee osteoarthritis, the load of going down can worsen symptoms, and orthopaedic clinics sometimes advise "stairs going up, lift going down".
- Stair accidents: the Consumer Affairs Agency lists falls on stairs among older people high among accidents in the home, and recommends handrails, lighting and non-slip strips.
[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.
Misunderstanding 1｜Stairs are bad for the knees
For healthy knees, they are exercise. If a knee is painful or swollen, avoid going down, use the handrail and see a doctor.
Misunderstanding 2｜If you walk 10,000 steps a day, you do not need stairs
Stairs are high intensity and earn physical activity in a short time. The guide recommends both step count and intensity.
Misunderstanding 3｜Going down is easy, so it is not exercise
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.
Misunderstanding 4｜Only people in a hurry use the station stairs
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.
Misunderstanding 5｜Older people should avoid 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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Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, *Physical Activity and Exercise Guide for Health Promotion 2023* [健康づくりのための身体活動・運動ガイド2023]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001171393.pdf
- National Institute of Health and Nutrition, *Revised METs table for physical activities* [改訂版 身体活動のメッツ（METs）表]
https://www.nibiohn.go.jp/eiken/programs/2011mets.pdf
- Consumer Affairs Agency, *Accidents in the home among older people (stairs, falls)* [高齢者の住宅内の事故（階段・転倒）]
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.
About this article
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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