Ice and Cobblestones

In September 2005 I wrote a piece about the health benefits of walking on cobblestones. This morning, walking the dog, it came back to me. I was trying to negotiate my way over a heavily trafficked area of old snow that had turned to ice, which was covered with another three inches of snow. I realized that my struggles were probably similar to those of someone walking on icy cobblestones.

Well, here’s a short version of the previous post about the good effects of such exercise:

Oregon researchers have shown that walking on cobblestones actually lowers blood pressure. Over 100 healthy but physically inactive adults over 60 undertook a cobblestone mat–walking program (30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 16 weeks). The mats – 6 feet by 1.5 feet – had small- to medium-sized river stones embedded on them. After 16 weeks, the cobblestone-walking subjects had a significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, compared with other subjects who walked on normal surfaces.

Where can I walk on cobblestones, you may ask? There aren’t many places in the USA , though in Europe they aren’t hard to find. You used to be able to buy a cobblestone mat from the Oregon Research Institute for about $25 plus $10 shipping, but the link isn’t working any more. So go to Amazon.com and type “cobblestone mats” in their search box. You’ll find one fairly easily, though I don’t suppose they’ve all been tested for effectiveness on blood pressure. In the meantime, be happy if you have some icy irregularities on your sidewalk. Just don’t slip . . .