Health Experts Clarify Normalcy and Concerns Regarding Breathlessness After Stair Climbing
Health experts are clarifying that feeling winded after climbing stairs is often a normal physiological response, though it can also signal underlying health concerns. Dr. Katherine Pohlgeers, a family medicine and sports medicine doctor at University of Louisville Health, explains that increased demand on the body, oxygen, and ventilatory requirements make stair climbing more effortful than walking on a flat surface. Karl Erickson, a performance specialist at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, likens it to performing a squat or lunge. While it's normal to be out of breath for a minute or so and then recover, prolonged breathlessness (over three minutes) or new, worsening symptoms warrant medical attention. Experts note that the average middle-aged person in the United States, often leading a more sedentary lifestyle, may find even one flight of stairs challenging. Red flags include new onset or worsening breathlessness, chest pain, headache, or vision changes accompanying the shortness of breath. Underlying con... 
