Will Wearable Weights Improve Your Fitness?

Wearable weights for the ankles, wrists and torso can transform your cardio workout into a strength-training workout. Jonathan Morales, DPT, a physical therapist with University Hospitals Rehabilitation Services, says exercising with wearable weights can be a highly effective way to increase your upper and lower body strength. Here’s what to know before using them.

Types of Wearable Weights

The most common type of wearable weights are flexible straps designed to wrap comfortably around the ankles or wrists. They typically vary in weight from one to five pounds. Weighted vests are designed to distribute weight around the torso, with an adjustable weight that ranges from 12 to as much as 150 pounds.

All types of wearable weights can be used to increase the intensity of walking, running and a variety of dynamic exercises.

Benefits of Wearable Weights

Studies show that walking with wrist or ankle weights increases heart rate, compared to walking without weights. As a result, more calories are burned. The benefits are especially strong for older people, increasing muscle mass and improving mobility.

Exercising with wearable weights help improve:

• Muscle strength and endurance
• Resting metabolism
• Bone density
• Mobility
• Injury prevention

Another important benefit of wearable weights is they don’t require any grip strength. People with poor grip strength have difficulty working with dumbbells. “Hands-free exercise using wearable weights can be particularly beneficial for people who have poor grip strength, as a result of arthritis, stroke or another medical issue,” Dr. Morales says.

Risks of Using Wearable Weights

Wearable weights can be a great tool to reach your fitness goals and challenge yourself, but they carry certain risks. Here are some to watch out for:

• Muscle Imbalance. Running or walking with ankle weights can lead to muscle imbalance, because they work the muscles in the front of your legs rather than the muscles in the back.
• Muscle Strain. Walking or running with ankle weights can also strain the ankle joints, increasing risk of injury to the knees, hips and back.
• Overuse Injury. Because a weighted vest puts pressure on the spine, adding too much weight or using the vest too often can cause overuse injuries to the back and neck. Swinging your arms while wearing wrist weights can also result in tendon and joint injuries in the shoulders, neck, elbows and wrists.

How to Use Wearable Weights Safely

“To avoid injury, it’s important to start off light,” Dr. Morales says. “With wrist and ankles weights, start by using one to two pounds. For weighted vests, begin with a load of 5 to 10 percent of your body weight.”

Gradually increase the amount of wearable weight based on the difficulty of the added resistance and your soreness level after your workout. Only add more weight once the exercises you do feel noticeably easier as your body adjusts.

“Exercise soreness typically should not last longer than 48 hours,” Dr. Morales says. “If it lasts longer than that, you should modify your next exercise session by using less weight, doing fewer reps, taking longer breaks between sets or some combination of these adjustments.”

If you’re walking with wearable weights, start off by walking slower than your regular pace. As your body adjusts to the added load, you can increase both your speed and the weight. If you’re exercising with wrist weights, try to vary your arm movements if you feel strain. Also, try not to swing your arms too much, as that puts stress on your joints.

Dr. Morales recommends consulting a doctor or physical therapist before adding wearable weights to your workout routine if you have arthritis, osteoporosis, joint problems, or any chronic or acute musculoskeletal injuries.

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Physical therapy at University Hospitals Rehabilitation Services provides patients with the very latest techniques and therapies to improve function.