Are weighted vests safe? Expert warns of hidden risks
Fitness and lifestyle influencers are spotlighting a new trend among middle-aged women: weighted vests. While many advocate for their use as a quicker way to burn calories, build muscle and improve bone density, the science behind the workout fad says otherwise.
UF exercise science expert Benjamin Gordon, Ph.D., an instructional assistant professor in the UF College of Health & Human Performance’s Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, explains that people should proceed with caution before putting on the vest.
“The main benefit is you’re going to increase your overall load that you’re carrying, so you’re going to burn more calories, you’re going to have more resistance against the muscles that are working when you’re doing something like walking or jogging,” Gordon said. “The risk, of course, is you’re also putting that load on the joints.”
Weighted vests were originally used by the military and in athletic training to enhance strength and endurance. In recent years, they have become popular in the U.S. on social media and have gained the attention of middle-aged and older women who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause. Today, these vests — costing anywhere from $40 to $300 — are regularly seen in neighborhoods, gyms and parks, ranging in weight from around 3 to 50 pounds.
However, by adding weight to joints and performing repetitive activities — like walking or jogging, which can result in 2,000 to 12,000 steps — people risk developing injuries, Gordon said.
“For most body weight movements, the body is pretty capable of handling them, even when done poorly,” Gordon said. “So, if you do a squat poorly, your body can handle that movement pattern and not really have an increased risk of injury. When you start loading it, it exponentially increases the risk of injury.”
Gordon also notes that some individuals should avoid this trend altogether, including individuals with poor joint health, obesity, metabolic disease or osteoarthritis.
“Exercise is like any other prescription — it’s like a medication prescription, it’s like a physical therapy prescription — it’s based on you, the individual, and weighted vests may not be for you,” Gordon said.
Gordon encourages those intrigued by the trend to think more about the results they are trying to achieve and how best to reach those goals.
“If you want to burn calories with weighted vests, then you’re talking about low-intensity cardio that you might wear it for. Is that the most efficient way to burn calories? Probably not,” Gordon said. “There are other options [without a weighted vest] — instead of 30 minutes of a walk, go 40 minutes. Go at a higher intensity. Increase the incline on a treadmill if you don’t want to increase the speed.”
More importantly, Gordon suggests finding a mode of exercise that is particularly enjoyable, as people are more likely to stick with that activity and burn more calories as a result.
But for those determined to test out the fad, Gordon recommends the classic adage: “Start low, go slow.”
“My biggest advice I would say to folks who are thinking about it is don’t go in haphazardly and say, ‘I’m going to add a vest to anything I do, and that will make it better because I’m going to burn more calories,’” Gordon said. “You’re going to end up most likely injuring yourself or just wasting your time and being more fatigued.”