New Research Reveals Why Walking Becomes More Tiring as We Age
Written by Dr Julian Simpson — Chiropractor with 15+ years of experience, Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation, and author/reviewer of 800+ health articles.
New Research Reveals Why Walking Becomes More Tiring as We Age
Growing older doesn't just mean we walk a little slower—it also means our bodies work much harder with every step.
A new study has uncovered why everyday walking becomes more energy-demanding as we age, especially when we're trying to do two things at once, such as walking while talking, shopping, or thinking about what we need to do next.
The findings provide valuable insight into why many older adults feel fatigued more quickly and why maintaining good balance, strength, and mobility is so important for healthy ageing.
Walking Costs More Energy Than You Think
Researchers compared healthy younger adults with healthy older adults while they completed normal walking and walking combined with a simple thinking task.
Even though the older participants were healthy, they used significantly more energy to complete the same walking tasks.
The biggest difference occurred during dual-task walking—walking while performing a mental task. This is something we all do every day, whether we're chatting with a friend, crossing a busy road, or planning our grocery list.
The study found that older adults had to use a much larger percentage of their available energy just to stay stable while walking.
Your Brain and Muscles Work Together
Walking may seem automatic, but it actually requires constant communication between your brain, muscles, joints and balance system.
As we age, our nervous system begins to simplify how muscles work together.
Instead of using small groups of muscles efficiently, older adults tend to activate more muscles at the same time. Think of it like tightening every muscle around a joint instead of only using the ones that are needed.
This creates a stiffer, more cautious walking pattern.
While this helps maintain balance, it also burns much more energy.
Stability Comes at a Cost
One of the most interesting findings was that older adults were able to maintain similar walking stability to younger adults.
The catch?
They had to work much harder to achieve it.
Researchers believe the body sacrifices efficiency in order to reduce the risk of falling.
This explains why many people notice they become tired more quickly when walking longer distances or when walking in busy environments.
Why Multitasking Makes Walking Harder
Walking isn't just about moving your legs.
Your brain is constantly processing:
Where you're going
Uneven ground
Obstacles
Other people
Traffic
Conversations
Planning your next movement
As we age, these mental demands require more attention.
The study showed that when a thinking task was added while walking, energy use increased significantly in older adults.
This helps explain why many falls occur when people are distracted rather than simply standing or walking.
What This Means for Healthy Ageing
The good news is that the brain and nervous system remain adaptable throughout life.
Research continues to show that targeted exercise can improve balance, coordination, muscle control and walking efficiency.
Helpful activities include:
Regular walking
Balance exercises
Strength training
Mobility exercises
Cognitive challenges combined with movement
Chiropractic care to help maintain healthy joint movement and nervous system function
Keeping the spine and joints moving well may help your body move more efficiently, allowing your nervous system to better coordinate movement and balance.
The Bottom Line
Growing older doesn't automatically mean you'll lose your independence.
Understanding that walking becomes more demanding on both the brain and body allows us to take proactive steps before problems develop.
Staying active, maintaining strength, improving balance and looking after your spinal health can all help your body move more efficiently, reduce fatigue and support confident movement for years to come.
At Health Wise Chiropractic, we're passionate about helping people stay active, mobile and independent at every stage of life. If you're noticing changes in your balance, walking or mobility, speak with our team about ways we may be able to help support your movement and overall wellbeing.
How Chiropractic Care May Help
At Health Wise Chiropractic, we take a comprehensive approach to posture-related care.
Treatment may include:
We focus on addressing both the symptoms and the underlying biomechanical stress contributing to neck dysfunction.
About the Author
Dr Julian Simpson is an Australian chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in musculoskeletal healthcare and rehabilitation.
He is a Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation and has reviewed and written more than 800 evidence-based health articles focused on spinal health, rehabilitation, sports injuries and conservative care approaches.
His treatment focus includes:
Chiropractic adjustments
Sports chiropractic
Massage therapy
Shockwave therapy
Laser therapy
Non-surgical spinal decompression
Dr Simpson provides patient care through Healthwise Chiropractic, serving communities including Sunbury, Melton, Diggers Rest and surrounding regions.
Reference
Wu F, Zhang K, Peng S, Gan Y, Liu Y, Niu W. Age-related interplay of walking economy, stability, and neuromuscular coordination during single- and dual-task walking. Exp Gerontol. 2026 Jun 24;222:113214. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2026.113214. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42341636.
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