Last week someone asked me if they should use hand weights and wear ankle weights when they walk for exercise. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked this question and my recommendation would be no on the ankle weights and maybe on the hand weights.  

Here’s another opinion on ankle weights from Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Edward R. Laskowski. “Ankle weights generally aren't recommended for brisk walking. Although ankle weights can increase the energy you burn while walking, they may strain the ankle joint and leg muscles, which could increase your risk of injury.” 

There are other ways to increase the intensity and effectiveness of your walking workout. One way is to simply walk faster or, if you are already in pretty good shape, add some short bursts of jogging. You can start out with just a few seconds at a time, alternating walking and jogging. As you are able, you can begin increasing the length of time you spend jogging.