\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTom McGee, a 69-year-old market researcher from near Chicago, has found an unusual path to fitness, one that has occasionally put him at odds with hotel security. For two decades, McGee has been climbing stairs as a way to stay off cigarettes, a dedication that has seen him “kicked out of about every hotel in the city” due to his unconventional workout locations. His experience highlights a growing challenge for enthusiasts of this highly effective exercise, as modern office towers increasingly restrict access to stairwells.<\/p>\n
Despite these hurdles, stair climbing is increasingly recognised in exercise guidance for its significant health benefits. Dr Luis Rodriguez, a 66-year-old semi-retired paediatric pulmonologist and avid stair climber, champions the activity. “You are working your legs. You are working your heart. You are working your lungs,” he explains, adding, “You can get a lot more benefit than just walking, because gravity is working against you.” This is supported by research indicating that just four minutes of stair climbing offers similar benefits to ten minutes of brisk walking or twenty minutes of slower walking.<\/p>\n
The efficacy of short, intense bursts of activity was officially acknowledged in 2018, when federal physical activity guidance began promoting such efforts \u2013 like opting for the stairs between floors at work. Stella Volpe, an exercise expert at Virginia Tech, points out that many people “don\u2019t realize that they don\u2019t have to exercise all in one bout for it to be effective,” suggesting that these small efforts accumulate throughout the day. Beyond the physical, Jennifer Gay, a public health researcher at the University of Georgia, notes that stair climbing can also improve mental well-being and boost feelings of energy.<\/p>\n
However, experts caution that individuals who may struggle with stairs should always consult their doctor before adopting a regular climbing regimen.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Participants make make their way up 86 flights of stairs during the 35th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up in New York, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. (AP Photo\/Jason DeCrow, File) (AP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe American Lung Association holds fundraising events each spring in office towers in cities across the country. The \u201cFight for Air\u201d events are widely regarded as fun, but organizers say the name draws from the shortness of breath people can experience after climbing dozens of floors \u2014 or having a lung disease.<\/p>\n
Landlords aren’t always so accommodating. <\/p>\n
Some law firms tell landlords and building owners that they can he held liable if someone trips or slips on a staircase. Poor lighting, liquid on steps and broken handrails are among the conditions that can be cited in lawsuits if someone falls and gets hurt.<\/p>\n
Many building managers have taken such advice to heart, saying stairs can only be used in emergencies. <\/p>\n
A study of hospital emergency department visits, published in 2018, concluded that more than 1 million stair-related injuries occur in the U.S. each year, with broken bones more common in older people. More than 60% of the injured were women.<\/p>\n
Research suggests there\u2019s very little risk of injuries for people climbing stairs, Gay said. Going down stairs can be riskier and building managers \u201ccan\u2019t make it a one-way street,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
For more than a decade, some health advocates have pressed for better access to steps. <\/p>\n
In 2013, a California-based health policy nonprofit called ChangeLab Solutions issued a resource guide that urged property owners to open their stairwells, arguing they posed no greater liability risk than other common areas.<\/p>\n
Gay and her colleagues have estimated that 60% of U.S. workers do their jobs in multistory buildings with stairwells. But there are no statistics showing what percentage of those buildings have restrictions on stair access.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>In this photo provided by the American Lung Association, Tom McGee participates in a fundraising run in the Oakbrook Terrace Tower building in Oakbrook, Ill., on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Pat Davies\/American Lung Association via AP) (American Lung Association)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nMany people who like to climb have stories about trouble finding staircases they can use.<\/p>\n
Lisa Bai, a New Yorker who works in real estate, said she\u2019s not able to use the stairs in her office building. It would seem like an easy way to get some exercise, but sometimes \u201cit\u2019s not,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Bai and others say they find other ways to step up. Fitness equipment such as StairMaster machines can approximate the physical work of stair climbing, although people who participate in tower climbs say it isn’t as arduous as the real thing.<\/p>\n
You might have to get creative if you don’t have easy access to stairs at home or in public spaces.<\/p>\n
Carmen Erickson and Vivian Dawson, who live in the Detroit suburbs, have been meeting about three times a week to climb stairs, usually in a nearby park, for roughly a decade. <\/p>\n
But it can be trickier when they travel. When they vacation together, they make a point to stay on the top floor of tall hotels so they can use the stairs. They also look for hills and hospital parking decks. <\/p>\n
They also have negotiated after-hours access to one building’s stairwells, agreeing to sign a waiver and check in with security officers each time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you connect with the right people and tell them what they’re doing and agree to the rules, it hasn’t really been a problem for us,\u201d said Erickson, 53.<\/p>\n
But Dawson, 64, added: \u201cYou have to really want to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Tom McGee, a 69-year-old market researcher from near Chicago, has found an unusual path to fitness, one that has occasionally put him at odds with hotel security. For two decades, McGee has been climbing stairs as a way to stay off cigarettes, a dedication that has seen him “kicked out of about every hotel in the city” due to his unconventional workout locations. His experience highlights a growing challenge for enthusiasts of this highly effective exercise, as modern office towers increasingly restrict access to stairwells. Despite these hurdles, stair climbing is increasingly recognised in exercise guidance for its significant health benefits. Dr Luis Rodriguez, a 66-year-old semi-retired paediatric pulmonologist and avid stair climber, champions the activity. “You are working your legs. You are working your heart. You are working your lungs,” he explains, adding, “You can get a lot more benefit than just walking, because gravity is working against you.” This is supported by rese…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13358"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}