Running vs Walking in Perimenopause: Bone Density, Joint Stress, and Finding Your Optimal Mix
Comparing running and walking for perimenopause. Bone density, hot flash triggering, joint stress, mental health, and weight management evidence reviewed.
Both Are Valuable, but Not Identical
Walking and running are both weight-bearing exercises, both are accessible and free, and both deliver meaningful health benefits during perimenopause. However, they differ in important ways for perimenopausal women. The intensity of running produces stronger bone-loading signals, burns more calories in less time, and delivers a more robust cardiovascular stimulus. Walking, by contrast, is sustainable for nearly all fitness levels, places far less stress on joints, and is easier to maintain consistently as a daily habit. Understanding where the evidence actually lands for each helps you build a smarter routine.
Bone Density: Running Has a Slight Edge
Both running and walking are osteogenic exercises, meaning they stimulate bone formation through mechanical loading. As oestrogen falls during perimenopause, bone loss accelerates, making osteogenic activity more important than ever. Running generates higher ground reaction forces than walking, producing a stronger signal for osteoblast activity (the cells that build bone). Studies comparing runners and walkers generally find that runners have higher bone mineral density at weight-bearing sites such as the femoral neck and spine. However, walking still provides meaningful bone protection compared to sedentary behaviour, and adding weighted vests or hiking on varied terrain increases the bone stimulus further. Women who cannot run due to joint issues should not feel that walking is inadequate. It is far better than inactivity.
Joint Stress: Walking Is Gentler
Running generates approximately two to three times the ground reaction force of walking with each stride. For women with pre-existing knee osteoarthritis, hip issues, pelvic floor concerns, or a history of stress fractures, running may exacerbate symptoms rather than improve them. Perimenopause can increase joint pain and stiffness due to declining oestrogen's effects on cartilage and connective tissue, making high-impact activity more uncomfortable than it previously was. Many women who were previously comfortable runners find perimenopause a transition point where alternating running and walking, or switching to lower-impact alternatives such as cycling or swimming, becomes necessary to stay consistent without injury.
Hot Flashes: Running Can Make Them Worse
High-intensity exercise raises core body temperature, which can trigger hot flashes during or after a run in some women. This is a genuine practical consideration. If running consistently leaves you soaked in sweat and triggering a wave of hot flashes, the psychological deterrent can undermine adherence. Walking at a moderate pace is less likely to push you past your thermoregulatory threshold. Timing also matters: many women find morning exercise, in cooler temperatures, less triggering than midday or afternoon sessions. If running is triggering hot flashes, reducing intensity (running shorter distances, adding walk intervals, or slowing pace) rather than stopping entirely is usually a workable solution.
Mental Health Benefits: Both Are Strong
Both running and walking have robust evidence for improving mood, reducing anxiety, and supporting cognitive function during perimenopause. The effect sizes in head-to-head comparisons are similar, suggesting that consistency and enjoyment matter more than intensity when it comes to psychological benefit. Running provides a stronger endorphin response for many women and the satisfaction of performance metrics. Walking, particularly in green spaces or with a companion, tends to support social connection and reduces the barrier to exercise for days when motivation is low. The best exercise for mental health is the one you will actually do.
Weight Management: Running Burns More Per Minute
Running burns roughly twice as many calories per minute as walking at the same distance. This is relevant for women managing perimenopausal weight gain, where calorie balance is a factor alongside hormonal shifts in fat distribution. However, running also tends to increase appetite more than walking in some women, and heavier per-session calorie burns can lead to compensatory eating. Walking, done in high volumes (10,000 to 12,000 steps per day), can generate a comparable total daily energy expenditure to shorter running sessions. Neither running nor walking is reliably sufficient for significant weight loss without also attending to diet quality.
Building an Optimal Combination
For most perimenopausal women, a combination of walking and running suits perimenopause better than exclusive commitment to either. Walk/run intervals allow you to accumulate the bone-loading and cardiovascular benefits of running while managing joint stress and hot flash intensity. Logging your workouts and noting how your body responds on different days helps you spot patterns: when running feels fine and when it aggravates symptoms. PeriPlan lets you log workouts and track progress over time, which makes it easier to build a programme that evolves with your changing body rather than fighting against it. Aim for consistency over months rather than intensity in any single session.
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